Samoa is experiencing dry weather and the Samoa Meteorological Office says it will provide updates on potential course of action if conditions get drier.

Assistant Chief Executive Officer of the Samoa Meteorological Services, Afaese Dr. Luteru Tauvale told the Samoa Observer that the El Nino weather pattern is to blame for the dry conditions that Samoa is currently experiencing. 

“The La Nina is classified according to the movement of the warm sea surface temperature within the Pacific region," said Afaese. "For the last three years, we were in the La Nina season where we experienced a lot of rainfall and flooding. 

"But for this year we have switched to the opposite, El Nino which is low rainfall and we are starting to see that. We are still monitoring and just by basic observation, conditions are getting drier noticeably as the grass has become drier and starting to get brown. 

"These short root plants are drying up and that is an indication that there is little rainwater because of prolonged periods of no rainfall.” 

El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern associated with the warming of the ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. 

According to Afaese, they need another month or two of observation before the real impact is seen, and he recalled how over the last three years there has been a lot of rain.

But he said this year, there are fewer chances of a cyclone this time round, though the place is dry and there’s an elevated risk of tropical cyclones. 

"For the time being, we are still in the process of collecting data to finalise anything and by the end of this month we will come up with a clear idea of the number of cyclones to be expected during the cyclone season," said Afaese. "Samoa is expected to continue with these dry conditions and low rainfall periods and will collect data to justify their forecast for the next several months. 

"El Niño conditions typically result in increased tropical cyclone activity towards the east and northeast of the Southwest Pacific basin and less activity in the other regions."

Vanuatu and Tonga have already issued El Nino alerts for their countries and their people have been advised to store water and be prepared for extended dry spells. In Samoa, the continuous dry spell could result in low water levels at the dams affecting the water supply.