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Severe drought in NMI persists
Rainfall has been adequate for most locations being monitored by the National Weather Service in Guam but still well below normal for the CNMI, where severe drought persists on Rota, Tinian, and Saipan.
Officials across the CNMI report water levels are still above thresholds for concern, according to the latest advisory from the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.
Expect adequate rainfall across the CNMI in the coming weeks. Light winds and daytime heating will keep a slight potential for island-convection in the coming days. Weak tropical disturbances in the next week and a half could also bring needed rainfall to the CNMI. The 10-day rainfall projections indicate around two inches of rain for Rota, Tinian, and Saipan. Island convective events would bring locally higher amounts to some areas.
The advisory states that the monsoon trough and weak disturbances made occasional appearances across western Micronesia. The weather maker for eastern Micronesia was primarily the near-equatorial trough with periods of convergent flow and weak, transient circulations. The Marianas has been sandwiched between these two regimes with generally drier conditions overall. Guam has benefited from routine island convective events but showers have been very spotty. Westward-moving upper-level lows, called TUTT cells, enhanced showers at times for the CNMI. (PR)
