9 May 2016

Micronesia drought easing

2:02 pm on 9 May 2016
Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia

Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia Photo: Supplied

A professor of meteorology at the University of Guam says drought conditions in Micronesia are easing but normal levels of rainfall are unlikely to return until the end of the year.

The region including parts of Melanesia remain in the grip of a dry spell driven by a stronger than normal El Niño weather pattern.

The professor, Mark Lander, said rain was slowly returning westward across the Pacific.

"By July or August it inevitably crawls back up to near normal anyway. But here on Guam it takes that long, some of the islands to the south -- Palau, Pohnpei, Chuuk -- they come back a little earlier, they're already getting some rain. Palau, finally, they had nine inches of rain in April. Palau had its driest year in 80-years of record keeping from April 2015 to March 2016. And then after July or August we won't be excessively wet, but we'll come back to normal again."

Mark Lander said El Niño had also caused an unusually low sea level around Guam.

Guam and other Micronesian islands experience sea level drop

Guam and other Micronesian islands experience sea level drop after decade of high levels Photo: supplied University of Guam

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