Rainy weather over the past two days has not been enough to stop the meteorological drought gripping the country.
Speaking to the Samoa Observer yesterday, Samoa Meteorological Division Assistant C.E.O., Mulipola Ausetalia Titimaea, said the rain had not had much impact.
<script async src="http://www.samoaobserver.ws///pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>
<!-- ads-articles(24.03.14) -->
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
style="display:inline-block;width:336px;height:280px"
data-ad-client="ca-pub-9419815128221199"
data-ad-slot="2395638412"></ins>
<script>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>
“Unfortunately the rainfall that fell in the weekend and [yesterday] did not bring us above average rainfall for the month,” he said.
Mulipola said the end was close, however, with the drought expected to be over in November.
“We are coming into the start of the wet season...that’s causing the rainfall that we had.”
An extended trough was coming across Fiji and Samoa, which would bring more rain on Saturday, he said.
The meteorological drought was declared at the end of September.
Of the Samoa Meteorological Service’s 40 weather stations, 60 percent recorded rainfall that was below average. “This has been consistent through May, June, July, August,” Mulipola said.
The northern side of Upolu and Savai’i had been most affected, with the islands’ southern areas receiving better rainfall.
However, the weather forecast for October through December looked promising, he said.
“It’s going to be a fairly good rainfall...most of our [40 weather stations] should be up to average rainfall.”
Meteorological droughts can stunt the growth of some plants, reduce how much water is available and increase the risk of forest and bush fires.
<script async src="http://www.samoaobserver.ws///pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>
<!-- 336x280 (bottom-article) -->
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
style="display:inline-block;width:336px;height:280px"
data-ad-client="ca-pub-2469982834957525"
data-ad-slot="1033882026"></ins>
<script>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>