Meteorology 



This island is within the tropics and consequently has a summer 

 climate all year round Vv-ith only slight variations in teir.perature and 

 atmospheric pressure. Rainfall is abundant, and as the wind blows from 

 the sea at all seasons the climate is generally equable. The major 

 seasonal difference is that bet^^reen the trade wind season from December 

 to April and the season of calms from May to November. 



Variations in the temperature depend on the rainfall and the wind, 

 and are generally slight throughout the year. The annual average is 

 26.0°C, with a maximum of 33.0OC (September) and a minumum of 21.0°C 

 (January) giving a range of 12°. The variation within any one m.onth does 

 not exceed six or seven degrees. Generally the trsde vri.nd season is 

 cool, while during the season of calms the direct rays of the sun are 

 extremely strong and one feels hot both in and out of doors. However, 

 there are many showers during this season, and although it becomes very 

 hot during the day, between midnight and morning the temperature drops 

 markedly giving rise to a wide variation between day and night temperatures. 



Average wind velocity throughout the year is from 2 to 4- meters. 

 The vdnd is strongest from January to Karch, falls off after April and 

 May, and is at its lowest in August, September, and October, Beginning 

 in November the wind gradually increases in strength. Between the calm 

 season and the trade wind season there are occasionally sudden storms of 

 short duxation. 



The winds are almost entirely from the northeast or east. During 

 the calm season they are intermittent and tend toward the south, produc- 

 ing southeast winds. The yearly variation extends from northeast to 

 southwest, but north and west winds are extremely rare. 



Annual average humidity is 83!^. It is lowest during the northeast 

 trades from January to March, and highest in July, August, and September 

 during the calm season. 



Maximum sunlight is found in August and September. 



Since the peak of the island rises up out of the ocean to an altitude 

 of 770 meters, the tops of the mountains are always covered by clouds and 

 rainfall is abundant. More rain falls during April, May, June, October, 

 November, and December, and less during January, February, March, July, 

 Aug-ust, and September, showing two changes witrin the year. The months 

 of greatest precipitation are April with 699 mn"' and December with 696 mm. 

 March has the least with 278 mm. There is almost no distinction of wet 

 and dry seasons on this island, the term "dry season" being applied only 

 to the rainless periods of less than twenty days which occur several tim.es 

 during the year. At other times there are so many showers that not a 

 day passes 'OT.thout some rainfall. 



Location and Description of Fishing Grounds 

 For the sake of convenience the coast of the island is divided into 



23 



