Meteorology - Science Fact or Old Fashioned Soothsaying

Tropical Depression 08F (TD 08F) was supposed to turn into a cyclone of some merit but has disappeared into the ocean, apparently. There was much talk of TD 08F, last week ladies at lunch had given me a warning about it, on Sunday I overheard a weather warning given to Jaime Murphy from a long term resident to get ready with supplies. Shopping at the local Supermarket unknown Palagi woman gives me the weather warning.

I rushed home to tell Jason of the impending doom - we looked it up on the Internet, severe weather warnings - nothing. Birds migrating north - nothing. Dogs barking at the sky - nothing. Jason was skeptical given all the evidence but to me you can't deny the experience of long term residents who have lived through Cyclone Heta and are familiar weather patterns that indicate a cyclone is coming.

Monday morning there finally appeared something on the Internet - Jason's interest was piqued still he was doubtful. There was much talk in the ex-pat community about it, we were all following it's progress on-line and deciding what we were all going to do whether to take shelter in the local hotel with the generator or ride it out at home etc. It was all the buzz.

It seems some Samoans had a different take on the weather, I asked the Taxi driver if he knew about the weather warning and the possible cyclone and he just shrugged his shoulders. At the supermarket as I was busy getting tinned food, spare batteries, crackers and pisupo I noticed none of the other Samoans rushing around filling up their trolleys with water and supplies, everyone seemed laid back and some complaining about the price of yoghurt ($1.65 for a small pottle).

Today the weather looks fine, the calm before the storm? or was it just lots of rain? who knows!