------------------------------------------------------------------------ 563 AXGM70 PGUM 190135 DGTGUM DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TIYAN GU 1200 PM CHST THU NOV 19 2020 PMZ173-270400- POHNPEI- 1200 PM CHST THU NOV 19 2020 ...EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT CONTINUES ON KAPINGAMARANGI... .UPDATE... A task force was sent down from Pohnpei to Kapingamarangi to 1. assess the conditions and 2. bring supplies. The task force reported taro patches and coconuts were half damaged while banana and breadfruit were fully damaged. The local water supply remains unsafe to drink and saltwater has infiltrated the wells. Residents, especially the elderly, are afflicted with gastrointestinal illness and skin sores. It is estimated that the current food and water supply will last about a month. Moral amongst the residents is still moderate to high. .SYNOPSIS... Little has changed with the synoptic pattern the last month or so. Disturbances embedded in the trade flow continue to spread steady rounds of showers across all islands north of 4N. The monsoon trough has made a few appearances across far western Micronesia. Westward- drifting upper lows have enhanced shower intensity and coverage at times. This is all typical of a La Nina pattern. Dry weather continued at Kapingamarangi in far southern Pohnpei state as weather-producing features anchored farther north near Pohnpei and to the south across New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Kapingamarangi has only received 2.72" of rain since August 12th. Dry conditions are likely to continue the next several weeks due to the robust La Nina pattern. See the "local drought outlook" section below for additional details regarding the exceptional drought on Kapingamarangi. Recent rainfall (inches) across Micronesia: % of normal (norm) based on 1981-2010 rainfall normals (averages) Jan-Jul Aug Sep Oct Oct Nov norm(%) norm(%) norm(%) norm(%) 1-10 RMI WSO Majuro 120 87 93 22.35 125 1.54 Wotje 105 242 65 16.28 168 5.23 Kwajalein/Ebeye 92 50 142 15.64 130 5.67 Ailinglaplap 108 47 153 27.06 236 5.98 Jaluit 88 43 51 11.87 102 2.18 FSM Kosrae airport 117 79 104 16.25 141 8.98 WSO Pohnpei 89 95 101 18.49 121 11.06 Nukuoro 96 69 54 14.87 144 5.30 Kapingamarangi 72 28 9 1.19 15 0.46 WSO Chuuk 76 91 153 10.57 93 4.91 Lukunor 80 80 131 11.83 105 3.37 WSO Yap 73 69 80 12.71 104 7.47 Woleai 79 69 79 8.81 88 6.53 Ulithi 93 65 69 12.47 121 7.24 ROP WSO Palau 84 147 44 20.11 166 5.51 Marianas Guam airport 81 74 77 16.75 142 2.43 Rota airport 59 70 129 17.29 141 2.39 Tinian airport 52 51 85 11.45 102 1.22 Saipan airport 52 73 73 11.08 98 1.35 .SUMMARY OF IMPACTS... *D4 Exceptional short-term drought* Kapingamarangi in Pohnpei State For the latest drought map for the US Affiliated Pacific Islands visit https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?usapi A task force was sent down to Pohnpei with supplies recently. The task force reported taro patches and coconuts were half damaged while banana and breadfruit were fully damaged. The local water supply remains unsafe to drink and saltwater has infiltrated the wells. Residents, especially the elderly, are afflicted with gastrointestinal illness and skin sores. Moral amongst the residents is still moderate to high. .DROUGHT MITIGATION ACTIONS... Residents of Kapingamarangi submitted an urgent request for water on the 1st of October. The Federated States Ship (FSS), "Independence" arrived several days later with 730 gallons of potable water. Efforts are being made to use the ship`s desalinization unit to refill Kapingamarangi`s empty water tanks. For more information on the formal and urgent request for water please see: https://reliefweb.int/report/micronesia-federated-states/fsm-pohnpei- governments-jointly-respond-water-emergency A second relief trip brought food and water to Kapingamarangi the first week of November. Dry weather is expected to continue. Residents are urged to conserve drinking water. .LOCAL DROUGHT OUTLOOK... Kapingamarangi: No change is expected in the ongoing very dry pattern in place over Kapingamarangi. Dry weather is expected to continue the next couple weeks with little or no relief as rainfall is expected to remain well below adequate. Numerical model rainfall accumulation indicates around a half inch of rain for Kapingamarangi over the next 10 days. .NEXT ISSUANCE DATE... The next Drought Information Statement will be issued Friday November 27, 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: 671-472-0953 e-mail: brandon.bukunt@noaa.gov / marcus.aydlett@noaa.gov $$ Bukunt/Aydlett ------------------------------------------------------------------------