A virtual climate centre for the Pacific could be operating by the end of the year giving local weather forecasters easy access to regional information.
The online centre will be run by the Pacific Meteorological Council, which says a regional perspective will enhance the prediction of long term weather patterns that can cause droughts and cyclones.
The council's chair Andrew Tait said the centre would enable countries to share weather data and improve long-term forecasts.
"What's less well understood in the Pacific is thinking about the entire season ahead. So that long term forecast capability is something we really want to improve across the whole Pacific islands region and that will definitely have benefit to all of the met services across the region."
Andrew Tait said entities and states that share data with the Pacific's virtual climate centre would also provide its funding.
Photo: AFP / NASA / HANDOUT A NASA image shows Tropical Cyclone Ian when it was skirting Fiji.