Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 1. Physical Setting of the Islands
Draft 1 March 2007
Buxton (1952) reported that since 1990 the monsoonal westerlies periodically surge easterly
and can reach Abariringa (Canton). The most recent case was in December 1940.
Prevailing winds were from ENE to ESE at a steady 22 to 26 km per hour (12 to 14 knots)
(Degener and Gillaspy 1955). West winds were rare.
Wunsch and Gill (1976) examined wind velocity spectra. There were no statistically
significant energy peaks in the appropriate frequency band. They noted wind and sea level
data were found to be statistically significantly, particularly at the 0.25 day -1 (4 day
oscillation).
Garnett (1983) reported that the prevailing wind on Abariringa (Canton) was from the east
with average wind speed of about 20 km per hour.
Rain - Maude (1937) noted that heat radiation from Abariringa (Canton) split rain clouds and
resulted in higher rain fall in adjacent waters than on the atoll. This might be minimized with
additional plant ground cover.
There are frequent rain squalls around the island, but rain rarely falls on the island itself
(Hydrographic Office 1940). This was attributed to the heat rising from the warm waters of
the lagoon (see also Bryan 1940).
Bryan (1941 and 1942) classified the 5 northern Phoenix Islands (including Abariringa
(Canton)) as dry islands with average annual rainfall not exceeding 64 cm (25 inches).
Rainfall from 1937 to 1949 was provided by Luomala (1951). Rainfall data for Abariringa
for 1938 to 2002 was obtained from the Meteorological Division. A summary graph is
provided in Figure III-1.40 below.
Figure III-1.40. Rainfall data for Abariringa (Canton), 1938 to 2002 (in mm).
(Kiribati Meteorological Division data).
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