Drought — Saipan, Guam

2025-01-21 to 2025-01-31 · Saipan, Guam

Event narrative

Saipan and Tinian ended December 2024 with 75 to 80 percent of normal rainfall (3.27 inches at Saipan and 4.89 inches at Tinian). Dry weather continued through January with both Saipan and Tinian not meet the weekly minimum requirement of 1 inch to meet water needs through the month. Saipan ended January with 1.51 inches and Tinian with 1.32 inches. Saipan entered D2 (severe drought) on January 21 on the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Wider weather episode

Micronesia was entering its typical dry season, starting in late December or early January and ending around May or June. A weak La Nia state of the El Nio-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) climate pattern was starting to emerge which generally favors increased rainfall near Indonesia and decreased rainfall near the central and eastern tropical Pacific.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1231201. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.