7 Oct 2011

Pacific drought unlikely to ease soon

4:16 pm on 7 October 2011

The latest Pacific climate update says much of the Pacific can expect below normal rainfall over the next three months.

The update is from a group of organisations including New Zealand's Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programmme.

They say Tuvalu, Tokelau, the Tuamotu archipelago in French Polynesia, Samoa, Pitcairn, Western Kiribati and the northern Cook Islands can expect lower rainfall through to mid summer.

The forecasters say higher rain levels are anticipated in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga and Niue.