More rain expected, says Maiha

Main Stories

THE likelihood of more rain around the country in the next three months is high because of the developing weather pattern close to the nation, according to the National Weather Service.
Service director Sam Maiha said the forecast from October to December “is to expect more wet days”.
He said even though the El Nino Southern Oscillation was neutral and had in recent weeks pointed towards a neutral condition for the country, there had been significant warming in waters around the maritime continent “at the expense of fast cooling of waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean”.
He said the piling of warm waters around PNG and cooler waters in the central and eastern Pacific were signatures of La Nina.
“Interestingly, five out of eight climate models are pointing towards a La Nina-like situation towards the end of this year,” Maiha said.
“La Nina forming this late in the season is something new.
“This office will be closely monitoring this situation as it unfolds and reporting about it.
“During La Nina episodes, the country does not always receive much higher rainfall than it normally receives on an average basis.  Because, it is happening together with the onset of the wet season, there is a higher chance of enhanced rainfall across the country due to the multiplier effect.”