The NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) offices, the Pacific ENSO Applications Climate Center (PEAC), and partners provided reports on conditions across the Pacific Islands.
In the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) (maps — Federated States of Micronesia [FSM], Northern Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands [RMI], Republic of Palau [ROP], American Samoa, basinwide), June 2024 was drier than normal in the Republic of Palau and parts of the Marshalls and FSM, but near to wetter than normal in American Samoa, the Marianas, and other parts of the FSM and Marshalls.
Monthly precipitation amounts were below the monthly minimum needed to meet most water needs (4 inches in the Marianas and Pago Pago, and 8 inches elsewhere) in western and southern parts of the FSM and the northern Marshalls. June precipitation was above the monthly minimums in American Samoa, Palau, the Marianas, and most of the FSM and Marshalls. The 4- and 8-inch thresholds are important because, if monthly precipitation falls below the threshold, then water shortages or drought become a concern.
The tropical Pacific climatology can experience extremes in precipitation, from very low precipitation during the dry season to very high precipitation during the wet season. This can result in monthly normal precipitation values that are different from the monthly minimum needed to meet most water needs, and this can lead to percent of normal values that seem odd. This was the case during June 2024, which is in the wet season for Palau, Guam, and much of the FSM, and in the dry season for American Samoa. Precipitation was above the monthly minimum but below normal (1981-2010 normal), because the normals are high, at:
- Jaluit: June 2024 precipitation 9.11 inches, June normal mean 10.37 inches.