Federated States of Micronesia

Pohnpei State: The 2011 1st Quarter rainfall was above normal on Pohnpei Island. On the atolls of Pohnpei State, there was a variety of rainfall conditions with Nukuoro below normal, Pingelap near normal, and Mwoakilloa above normal. Close to the equator, at Kapingamarangi, it was very dry. Because La Niña produced colder than normal sea surface temperatures along the equator for several months beginning in the latter part of 2010, the atolls of Pohnpei State located at low latitudes (e.g., Kapingamarangi at 1 °N and Nukuoro at 4 °N) had reduced rainfall in recent months. The reduction of rainfall was most pronounced at Kapingamarangi where the monthly rainfall during September 2010 through February 2011 was 0.72 inches, 1.10 inches, 2.07 inches, 0.76 inches, 2.27 inches, and 0.20 inches. This level of dryness (only 15% of the normal rainfall total during the 6-month period) prompted the WFO Guam in coordination with the WSO Pohnpei to issue weekly drought advisories for Kapingamarangi, which continued through late April 2011. Much needed rainfall occurred at Kapingamarangi in March 2011. As noted in the drought advisories, damage to vegetation and crops probably occurred during this prolonged dry spell.

Pohnpei Rainfall Summary 1st Quarter 2011

Climate Outlook:

Forecast rainfall for Pohnpei State from April 2011 through March 2012 is as follows:

Forecast rainfall quantities represent BEST ESTIMATES given the probabalistic forecast for each particular season and station.

source: UOG-WERI