More rain expected until May, says weather office

By SHIRLYN BELDEN
THE country is expected to experience more rain until May, National Weather Service director Sam Maiha said yesterday. 
Maiha said in Port Moresby that the country was experiencing heavy and continuous rains and winds since November last year which was due to the La Nina, a climatic wet condition caused by warm sea surface areas in the Pacific. 
La Nina, which is almost the opposite of the dry climate condition,  El Nino, has possible oceanic and terrestrial effects such as much warmer sea surfaces than usual, increased sea levels and high risks of tropical cyclones, floods, landslides and severe sea swellls. 
Maiha said PNG will not experience cyclones or severe sea swells except increased sea level anomalies of up to 25cm mainly around the south of New Britain in the Solomon Sea.
The La Nina is caused when there is a build-up of heat energy in an area whether over the sea or on land which then causes low humidity.
The heat build-up can only be dispelled through rains or tropical cyclones.
“Rain and tropical cyclones are the only means of relieving the heat energy accumulated in one area but fortunately PNG will not see any cyclones just rains”.
Maiha said the weather office has recorded a slight increase of one-third in rainfall for the year than previous years.
PNG records an average rainfall of 1,100mm a year.