Neu: 2001-09-28 Contents of this issue:
1. Cooks Landing Soon 2. WEATHER WATCH ======================================================================== September 28th, 2001 1. Cooks Landing Soon: Samoa and Cook Islands have signed an open-skies agreement similar to that signed between Samoa and Tonga but Polynesian Airlines is not rushing to start flights to the Cooks. Samoa's Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi and Cook Islands Prime Minister Terepai Maote signed the agreement during the Pacific Islands Forum Aviation Ministers meeting in Samoa's capital, Apia. Polynesian acting chief executive officer John Fitzgerald is quoted by the Samoa Observer newspaper as saying that the airline is looking at servicing the Cook Islands as a possible expansion "when conditions allow but at the moment everything is on hold". Cook Islands is currently serviced by Air New Zealand but the New Zealand-based carrier is facing a financial crisis as airlines around the world struggle. Polynesian is not without its problems either with a financial loss expected to be recorded later this year.( PINA Nius Online). 2. WEATHER WATCH THIS WEEK the computer weather forecast models were spot-on, bringing in Spring on a brief breath of tropical steam. A salutary bolt of lightning and clap of thunder signaled the arrival of a weak cold front on Monday and a return to fine, cool fresh trade winds. An inch of rain wetted the dust and restored the green to dormant vegetation. During the nights, occasional clouds, brief sprinkles and a light breeze kept minimum temperatures in the upper teens. Visiting tourists were out and about daily enjoying frequent sunny breaks in afternoon clouds. With lessening humidity during the week, highs in the mid to upper twenties generated many comfortable smiles. THE WEEKEND looks to be quite pleasant, as a large High (1030) drifts slowly east from Auckland along 35S. A dry SE flow should predominate from Samoa south ushered in on afternoon gusts to 25 knots. Mainly fine weather with scant precipitation expected. NEXT WEEK NOGAPS wind charts show consistent easterly trades, fresh in the afternoons with moderate to rough seas and swells near 3 meters over open ocean near Niue. The High to our south remains strong and slow-moving. Clouds and rain to the west of Fiji look to develop, then weaken in a very slow eastward drift. Mainly fine weather expected here with cool, breezy nights and plenty of full moon. Humidity should continue to lower, with pleasant afternoon high temperatures in the mid to upper 20's.(Thanks to Darrell Spatz private forecaster resident on Niue). __END__
