Pago Pago, American Samoa — Rep. Andra Samoa welcomed trainees of the 2nd In-Country Training of the NOAA/NWS Pacific International Training Desk (Pacific Desk) at the US Army Reserve Center in American Samoa. 

Training runs from July 15-26, 2019 and will focus on basic weather forecasts and analysis with an emphasis in the tropics. 

It also focuses on operational forecasting to enable weather observers to prepare and disseminate locally-produced meteorological, hydrologic and climate products for their home countries. Training participants are from Samoa, Tokelau and Tuvalu Meteorological Services. American Samoa is represented by the Dept. of Homeland Security. 

Rep. Samoa stressed the importance of regional collaborations and sharing of resources in our Region but especially the work of individuals, “qualified and trained personnel in the field of meteorology and disaster management will lead to better forecasts and analysis of local weather events and improves the overall science, technology operations and services certainly in our region and also worldwide… I would like to take this time to emphasize the importance of the work you are about to embark on this week – please realize that in the long run your efforts may result in lives saved through more effective planning, preparedness and response,” said Rep. Samoa. 

Training participants from Samoa, Tokelau and Tuvalu Meteorological Services as well as the Am. Samoa Dept. of Homeland Security are focusing on basic weather forecasts and analysis during this month’s NOAA/NWS training.  Pictured: Ioane Tuatipi (Samoa Meteorological Service), Le Naponita Lepaia (Tokelau Government), Wayne Salavea (Am. Samoa Department of Homeland Security), Rep. Andra Samoa, Jennifer Strahl (Pacific Desk), Telito Alefaio (Tuvalu Meteorological Service), Faatele Kolose (Samoa Meteorological Service), Elinor Lutu-McMoore (WSO Pago Pago). [courtesy photo]

Christina Higa, Principal Investigator for the Pacific Desk joined via video and H. Gingerlei Porter, Director of Pacific Desk expressed their appreciations for the WSO, Pago Pago, Elinor Lutu-McMoore and her staff for their ongoing support of training.  We appreciate the opportunity for the Pacific Desk to be hosted in American Samoa.   

The Pacific Desk was established on the campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM) in 2001 by the US National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/National Weather Service (NWS) at the Weather Forecast Office (WFO) Honolulu. The Pacific Desk is one of NOAA’s contributions to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Voluntary Cooperation Program (VCP).