Federated States of Micronesia

Yap State:  The distribution of rainfall in most of Yap State during this year's rainy season was similar to that on Guam: a wet June, a dry July, a wet August, followed by drier than normal conditions in September and October. Rainfall on Yap Island during the heart of its summer rainy season (June through October) was near normal, with substantial month-to-month variation. At the Weather Service Office (WSO) near the Yap Airport the rainfall for June, July, August, September, and October at was 15.04 inches (119%), 12.93 inches (89%), 22.44 inches (148%), 12.02 inches (89%), and 8.27 inches (69%) respectively, amounting to 104% of normal for the 5-month period.

At Ulithi, the month-to-month variation of rainfall was not as extreme as at other locations in Yap State and elsewhere in Micronesia. The rainfall totals at Ulithi for June, July, August, September, and October were 13.10 inches (121%), 14.59 inches (118%), 14.26 inches (117%), 7.35 inches (64%), and 10.15 inches (100%) respectively, amounting to 103% of normal for the 5-month period. Farther south at Woleai Atoll the rainfall totals for June, July, August, September, and October were 16.39 inches (126%), 10.07 inches (72%), 18.44 inches (125%), 10.20 inches (87%), and 11.17 inches (82%) respectively, amounting to 99% of normal for the 5-month period.

The tropical cyclone threat at Yap for the rest of 2004 should be near normal. During most years approximately 2 or 3 tropical cyclones pass close enough to Yap (and/or its outer islands) to cause gales, but there are usually no direct strikes by a typhoon at any Yap location. Two major typhoons affected Yap State in a span of less than one year (Lupit in November 2003 and Sudal in April 2004). We expect no further direct strikes by a typhoon of any island or atoll of Yap State for the rest of the year.

Predicted rainfall for Yap State from Nov 2004 through Oct 2005 is as follows: