Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Even though we will have slightly above average temperatures this week, easterly trade winds will increase up to 20 mph at times from Wednesday through Friday night.

Latest satellite visible imagery loop continues to show fair weather cumulus clouds moving over the territory. These stable features are evident on latest soundings, which depict low precipitable water values and little to no lifting mechanisms.

Even with this favorable environment, a fair weather waterspout was spotted off the coast of Avao and Faganeanea early this morning. However, these microscale features are quite common especially during relatively calm weather, along dark flat bases of a developing cumulus cloud.

Latest model data suggests this stable weather pattern will remain through tonight, before easterly trades increase. GFS solutions are in agreement that a high pressure system associated with a ridge currently influencing weather of the Samoa Island chain, will dominate weather through most of the forecast period.

As the aforementioned high continues to build throughout the week, winds are anticipated to reach breezy conditions by Wednesday, which will allow for showers embedded within the tradewind flow. Hence scattered showers are expected through Friday. Furthermore, a low pressure system developing westward will enhance moisture and winds Thursday through Friday as it interacts with the high. Will continue to monitor later forecasts should a wind advisory warrant.

A Small Craft Advisory is in effect.

TUESDAY EARTHQUAKE

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 occurred about 58 miles southwest of Upolu island at 1221 pm sst on Tuesday May 5, 2020. There was no tsunami threat to American Samoa from this earthquake.