Federated States of Micronesia

Pohnpei State:  Rainfall throughout Pohnpei State during 2006 was near normal, except at Kapingamarangi where the rainfall has been well above normal for many months. The 2006 annual total of 160.26 inches at Kapingamarangi was 146% of its normal annual rainfall, and this was the highest departure from normal of any rainfall observation throughout Micronesia in 2006 (Fig. 1a). The persistent warmer than normal SST that surrounds Kapingamarangi, extending eastward past the International Date Line, may be responsible for the prolonged period of excessive rain there. Pohnpei State also captured another top observation during 2006: the 2006 annual total of 210.02 inches of rainfall at Palikir was the highest observed annual total throughout Micronesia . Though high, this amount of rainfall was just slightly above the estimated annual normal of 204 inches at Palikir. Rain gages placed on top of Nahnalaud had 3 months of missing data during 2006, but extrapolation of the annual amount with estimated values used for the missing monthly values indicates rainfall in excess of 300 inches there during 2006!

Climate Outlook: Dry conditions related to the El Niño that began in mid-2006 should not affect Pohnpei too harshly. Any island within Pohnpei State may experience a month or two of abnormally dry weather at any time during the period February through April 2007, after which rainfall amounts should return to near normal. Residents of Pohnpei State are urged to participate in voluntary water conservation measures, and should make all reasonable repairs and routine maintenance to rain catchments and other drinking water infrastructure.At this time, the dry conditions are not expected to be as bad as those experienced during 1998. So long as the SST remains above normal in the equatorial region near the International Date Line, the rainfall at Kapingamarangi should not drop below normal.

Source: UOG-WERI