Weather office predicts more rainfall to fall nationwide

THE public can expect scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms across Papua New Guinea in the coming weeks, according to the National Weather Service.
Director Jimmy Gomoga said in this in a weather update on Facebook recently.
He said because of the weak La Nina conditions this would continue to weaken and return to neutral conditions by the end of the wet season or late autumn.
The impacts of the neutral conditions on rainfall patterns would vary across PNG affecting most parts of the country.
“We are now in the middle of the Southern Hemisphere autumn and progressing towards the winter and dry season forecasted to set in over the country by mid-May,” he said.
Gamoga said the neutral conditions tended to increase the likelihood of the above-average rainfall across much of the New Guinea Islands during the dry season months while most of the country would tend to receive below average rainfall.
According to Gomoga, the South East trade winds had begun to be established over the Papuan region and would be established across the country by early June and the significant atmospheric waves were expected to pass over the country in the coming days.
He said the drought forecast released by his climate section was current and the top three provinces at risk of drought as of January 2023 were Central, East New Britain and Northern.
The National Weather Service will continue to monitor and report any developments of severe weather within its area of responsibility for the sake of the people.