Keiyasi Records 2nd Hottest Day
Keiyasi, in Navosa province last week recorded the second highest temperature in Fiji during the past three years. The area recorded 35.3-Degrees Celcius on January 5 with the highest recording in the past three years being 37.8-Degrees Celsius at Yasawa-i-rara on January 29, 2016.
Fiji Meteorological Services director Meteorology Ravind Kumar said the months of January to March were the hottest months in Fiji and he has advised the public to keep hydrated and not to expose themselves to the heat during the day.
So the prevailing hot weather in Fiji is part of the climate system during this time of the year.
“This is because of the relative position of the sun and Fiji’s location in the tropics, surface heating, high humidity and light winds,” Mr Kumar said.
“At the same time the sea temperatures are by 0.5C to 1C warmer than normal to the east of the country.
“When the wind blows from the equatorial regions towards Fiji, they pick the warmth and moisture over the oceans and get heated up over land.
“In the urban centres, it gets heated up quicker than those inland. The weather has been fine across the country and is contributing to the accumulation of surface heat.” Mr Kumar said the temperatures differed from place to place and depending where one was located. The temperature in January generally ranged from 29C to 32C. “Due to the above factors and light easterly wind flow, the country has been experiencing hot weather and some of the locations have experienced temperatures in excess of this range especially from the 3rd January 2018,” he said.
“So far these temperatures in January 2018 are not near historical record and some years have been hotter than what is currently experienced,” Mr Kumar said.
The hottest day in January for the past three years was as follows: 2017 – 34.4C on January 3rd at Nacocolevu; 2016 – 37.8C on January 28th at Yasawa-i-rara; 2015 – 35.1C on January 8 at Nacocolevu. “We expect moderated conditions to come in from Thursday as weather activity will increase over the country,” Mr Kumar said. “Following the passage of the weather activity, the country will come under. The influence of a ridge of high pressure which will direct southeasterly winds, thus keeping the temperature moderated.”
Mr Kumar said the months of January to March were the hottest months in Fiji and he has advised the public to keep hydrated and not expose themselves to the heat during the day.