The Cook Islands Meteorological Service has been adding a dash of humour to its weather updates on Facebook, and the strategy is paying off.

With more people engaging with their posts, the goal is not just to entertain but to educate the public about the often complex weather forecasts in a way that’s both fun and informative.

Maara Vaiimene, director of the Meteorological Service, explained that the idea stemmed from a need to attract more people to their Facebook page.

“We noticed that not many people were visiting the page, and even if they did, it wasn’t clear if they understood the information we were sharing,” Vaiimene said.

“We needed to make the weather forecasts more appealing and accessible, especially to younger audiences.”

The new approach, which includes clever, light-hearted captions alongside weather updates, was designed with the community in mind.

The posts aim to draw attention while also simplifying technical terms, making it easier for the public to grasp key weather information like wind speeds, rain warnings, and the different points of the compass.

“Humour was a collaborative idea. We thought if we could make people laugh or engage with the posts, they’d be more likely to check in regularly, and from there we could start educating them about the weather,” Vaiimene said.

“The idea was to make the page interesting and approachable, which in turn helps with our goal of educating the public.”

The initiative has been a success. Over the past year, Facebook engagement has soared, with many followers commenting on how much they enjoy the witty updates.

One recent post read, “What did one raindrop say to the other? Two’s a company, but three? That’s a torrential love affair waiting to happen! There are no raindrops in sight today, but who knows what might fall from the sky tomorrow?”

The playful tone seems to have struck a chord, with one follower commenting, “Who would have thought I would ever be excited to read weather reports so early in the morning without being caffeinated.”

Vaiimene explained that one of their main goals for the year is community engagement, specifically to gauge how well people understand weather terminology.

“Understanding terms like ‘trough of low pressure’, ‘gale-force winds’, or ‘four-metre waves’ can be the difference between being prepared and being caught off guard during extreme weather events,” Vaiimene said.

“By using graphics and simple explanations, we’re trying to help the public better understand the forecasts, making it easier for them to take necessary precautions when needed.”

In the future, the Meteorological Service plans to expand its efforts to make weather forecasts even more accessible, with hopes to introduce content in the Cook Islands language as well.

However, for now, the service will continue to use humour as a stepping stone to boost engagement, simplify weather language and ultimately, save lives.

“The fun is just the beginning. We’re here to teach, inform and keep our people safe,” Vaiimene said.