A group of Tonga College Science students recently visited the Meteorological Service Headquarters at Fua’amotu to learn more about weather and global natural disasters.
Duty officers Laitia Fifita (Lead Forecaster), Sione Tu’ungafasi (Senior Cost Radio Officer), Sione ‘Ofa (Technical Officer), Siutiti Tapu and Sitani Uatahausi (Assistant Forecasters) welcomed the students to the MET Office and explained to them core functions of the Meteorological Office, Introductions to weather observatory equipment, the functions of each section within the MET Office particularly the Forecasting section, Observation section, Climate section, Coast Radio section and the Technical section.
In addition to these topics of discussion an opportunity was given to these students to take a tour around the MET Office to see at first hand and exposing them to the very nature of our work and its importance on a daily basis and in times of Natural Disasters.
Students were being divided into six different groups for easier and better co-ordination during their fieldtrip, and each of the duty staff of the Tonga Meteorological Office had the task of explaining in detail to each group key important concepts of meteorology that was related to their fieldtrip investigations. Key objectives of this fieldtrip that was addressed during their visit was: Weather Components and their inter-relationships, weather and climate, Tropical Cyclone and Tsunami formation, tides and sea levels, global warming and drought.
It is one of the key collaboration pillars of the Tonga Meteorological Services is to engage its services into collaborations and partnerships with local high schools within the kingdom such as the example being set here today with field trip students from Tonga College as a way forward to further develop the skills and knowledge of these young scientist and to further introduce the career of Meteorology. Similar partnership and collaboration is being put into action momentarily with Tupou College in the establishment of their new Weather Observatory Station and on-going training of students to conduct weather observations and reporting. These initiatives is the fundamental building block of ensuring that Weather is a part of our everyday activities and decision makings and not just a broadcast over the radio.
A total of 70 science students from Tonga College visited the Tonga MET Office led by their teacher Siutiti Fakatou.