Saipan in the Northern Marianas. Photo: Supplied
The Marianas is expected to finally get a reprieve from the brutal summer heat the region is currently experiencing, with the National Weather Service (NWS) reporting that gradual improvement is expected as much-needed showers continue to fall on drought-stricken areas.
The regional outlook report of Tiyan, Guam-based NWS said while extreme drought conditions persist across islands of Yap State and Rota in the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas (CNMI), longer-range rainfall trends support a near-normal rainfall pattern for most areas in coming weeks.
In addition, a weak circulation/disturbance will bring showers and thunderstorms to Yap and Palau the next couple days.
NWS said development is not expected with this disturbance as it heads slowly west.
As for its weather overview, NWS said mostly sunny skies prevail across Guam and the CNMI with only a few spotty showers and east trades around 24 to 32 kilometres per hour.
"Expect a generally dry trade wind pattern to persist the next several days with winds easing up by the end of the week," the Weather Service said.
"Moderate trades and combined seas of 4 to 6 feet will also ease through the week, with gentle to moderate trades and combined seas of 2 to 4 feet expected later this weekend."
NWS also noted that patchy showers will persist across the rest of Micronesia.
"A weak tropical disturbance, a poorly defined surface circulation near Palau, is labeled as Invest 96W by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
"Patches of showers and thunderstorms persist in the broad region surrounding this disturbance.
"Gentle trades will build in by the weekend with a showery trade-wind pattern into next week. Farther east, across Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Majuro, an active ITCZ is generating showers and thunderstorms near Pohnpei and Chuuk, while drier weather persists near Kosrae and Majuro. The ITCZ will remain relatively active across Pohnpei and Chuuk, keeping a showery pattern in place through the weekend.
"Drier weather will persist farther east, but the ITCZ could extend eastward, bringing showers to Kosrae and Majuro this weekend into next week. Expect moderate trades to prevail through the weekend."