------------------------------------------------------------------------ 000 AXGM70 PGUM 070144 DGTGUM DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TIYAN GU 1200 PM CHST FRI AUG 7 2020 GUZ002>004-PMZ173-PMZ181-210400- ROTA-TINIAN-SAIPAN-POHNPEI-MAJURO- 1200 PM CHST FRI AUG 7 2020 ...EXTREME DROUGHT PERSISTS FOR THE CNMI AND NORTHERN MARSHALL ISLANDS... ...SEVERE DROUGHT CONTINUES ON KAPINGAMARANGI... .SYNOPSIS... A number of weather features brought much needed rain to most islands across the region the last couple weeks. Passing upper-level lows and troughs (TUTT cells), and weak disturbances brought showers to western Micronesia and the Marianas, while a waning ITCZ with embedded surface troughs brought showers to the eastern FSM and the Marshall Islands. Rainfall was near-adequate for most locations but still well below normal for Kapingamarangi where severe drought persists, and across the CNMI, where extreme drought persists at Rota, Tinian and Saipan. There was improvement at Tinian and Saipan with recent rains, allowing the drought status to be improved from "exceptional" to "extreme". Recent rainfall (inches) across Micronesia: % of normal based on 1981- 2010 rainfall normals (averages) Jan-May Jun Jun Jul Jul Norm(%) Norm(%) Norm(%) RMI WSO Majuro 124 12.83 117 12.85 108 Wotje 121 4.66 83 3.58 83 Kwajalein/Ebeye 97 6.09 77 8.82 90 Ailinglapalap 95 18.09 166 10.56 92 Jaluit 96 6.81 66 9.23 73 FSM Kosrae airport 99 23.64 152 14.26 89 WSO Pohnpei 73 11.70 74 9.53 59 Kapingamarangi 86 5.87 45 5.59 42 WSO Chuuk 75 11.45 94 7.77 63 Lukunor 76 11.34 95 13.18 80 Fananu -- 7.19 70 8.79 81 WSO Yap 57 18.56 141 7.71 51 Woleai 67 11.25 90 13.81 110 Ulithi 102 8.67 85 9.61 81 ROP WSO Palau 97 14.21 83 10.13 51 Marianas Guam airport 93 3.40 48 8.26 68 Rota airport 62 2.33 45 4.48 42 Tinian airport 56 1.83 36 4.97 48 Saipan airport 55 1.96 44 5.11 62 .SUMMARY OF IMPACTS... *D3 Extreme short and long-term drought* Republic of the Marshall Islands: Wotje and Utirik Mariana Islands: Rota, Tinian, Saipan, and the northern CNMI. *D2 Severe short-term drought* Pohnpei State: Kapingamarangi For the latest drought map for the US Affiliated Pacific Islands visit https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?usapi Agricultural impacts still persist across the northern Marshall Islands and the CNMI. Recent reports from Saipan indicate wildfire occurrences continue to diminish with greener foliage across the island. Residents of Kapingamarangi report improved conditions with household water tanks now more than half full, and municipal government reserve tanks still untouched. Residents of Wotje in the Marshall Islands report water tanks around 50% capacity. .DROUGHT MITIGATION ACTIONS... Marshall Islands: Wotje and Utirik have reverse osmosis units on site. Pohnpei State: Relatively dry weather will continue at Kapingamarangi. Residents are still urged to conserve drinking water. Mariana Islands: Officials across the CNMI report water levels are still above thresholds for concern. .LOCAL DROUGHT OUTLOOK... Marshall Islands: Expect near-adequate rainfall across the RMI the next couple weeks. The coming weather pattern will be characterized more with passing disturbances than the typical trade-wind pattern of previous months. If these weak disturbances come to pass as indicated by numerical models, adequate, or above-adequate rainfall is possible for most locations. Current 10-day rainfall projections indicate around 4 inches of rain for Majuro, and near 3 inches for islands to the north, including Kwajalein, Wotje and Utirik. Pohnpei State: Relatively dry conditions will persist at Kapingamarangi the next couple weeks. Passing surface troughs and weak disturbances will generally keep to the north. Rainfall is expected to be below-adequate with only spotty showers. 10-day rainfall totals indicate around 1.5 inches of rain. Marianas: Passing TUTT cells and weak disturbances passing near the region should provide near or above adequate rainfall for the CNMI, allowing for continued drought improvement. Nearby upper-level features will be key in locally higher rainfall totals for some areas. Current 10-day rainfall totals indicate around 3 inches of rain for Rota, Tinian and Saipan. .NEXT ISSUANCE DATE... The next Drought Information Statement will be issued Friday August 21, 2020 or sooner if necessary. .RELATED WEBSITES: -US Drought Monitor for the United States Affiliated Pacific Islands- https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?usapi -National Weather Service Guam- https://www.weather.gov/gum/Hydrology -Pacific ENSO Applications Climate (PEAC) Services- https://www.weather.gov/peac -Climate Prediction Center Global Tropics Hazards and Benefits Outlook- https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/precip/CWlink/ghazards/ -Coral reef watch satellite monitoring- https://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/index.php .ACKNOWLEDGMENTS... This drought statement is a combined effort involving regional National Weather Service offices, Richard Heim and the USAPI drought monitor team at NCEI, Chip Guard at Tropical Weather Sciences, the Climate Prediction Center, PEAC services, the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, Mark Lander at University of Guam, USAID subregional offices and the NOAA/NESDIS coral reef watch program. .QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS PRODUCT? PLEASE CONTACT: National Weather Service 3232 Hueneme Road Barrigada, GU 96913 http://www.weather.gov/gum phone: 671-472-0950 e-mail: brandon.bukunt@noaa.gov / marcus.aydlett@noaa.gov $$ Aydlett/Bukunt ------------------------------------------------------------------------