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[email protected] January 2020 Also online at: http://www.met.gov.fj Issued: February 7, 2020 Since : August 1980* Volume 41 : Issue 01 1. IN BRIEF While the El Niño Southern Oscillation state was neutral wind was at Udu Point with 77km/h, followed by Va- during the month, some of the indicators in the Pacific nuabalavu with 69km/h and Ono-i-Lau with 52km/h. Ocean were leaning towards a weak El Niño. The South The highest wind gust was at Udu Point with 117km/h, Pacific Convergence Zone was displaced to north east of followed by Vanuabalavu with 103km/h and Saqani its normal position, away from the Fiji Group, a feature with 87km/h (Table 3). typical of an El Niño event. Consequently, most parts of the country registered drier than normal conditions. Significant rainfall recorded, particularly over the Cen- tral, Northern divisions including northern Lau group Out of the 28 stations, 17 recorded less than half of the due to the active rain bands associated with TC Tino and normal January rainfall (Figure 1). The driest location TD04F between 15th and 17th. Sabata recorded a 24-hour was Viwa where a record low rainfall for January was rainfall of 171mm on the 16th, followed by Dewala with registered with only 5mm during the month. Sigatoka 149mm on the 17th (Figure 16). Consequently, there was also significantly dry with 28mm of rainfall, fol- were reports of flooding in the Central and Northern Di- lowed by Ono-i-Lau with 53mm, Matuku with 65mm visions.