Science Centres: Climate
January
December's climate
Global setting and climate outlook
Feature article
Climate summary: the 2007 year
Rainfall anomaly for 1 January to 31 December 2007
Average air temperature anomaly for 1 January to 31 December 2007
While drier than average in many places, New Zealand’s climate year was punctuated by some spectacular weather events.
Generally drier than normal conditions were punctuated by unusually low rainfall in some locations.
A monthly newsletter from the National Climate Centre.
January 2008 – Number 103
December climate – below normal rainfall in many areas, but wet in Northland. Warm conditions in most areas, with near normal temperatures in the east. River and stream flows were mostly low, except in Northland.
Outlook for January to March – air temperatures are likely to be above average across New Zealand.
New Zealand climate in December
Rainfall (click to enlarge).
Temperature (click to enlarge).
Rainfall was less than 60% of normal in Bay of Plenty, and inland South Canterbury. North Taranaki, Manawatu, Buller, the Kaikoura coast, and inland Southland and Otago were also drier than normal. Northland, Coromandel, Gisborne, and Hawke’s Bay recorded above normal rainfall.
Air temperatures were above average in most northern and western regions, and in Southland and much of Otago, but near average in the east.
Global setting and climate outlook
La Niña dominates
Difference from average global SST (click to enlarge).
Monthly SOI values (click to enlarge).
During December, La Niña conditions strengthened into a moderate to strong event that is likely to persist through autumn. The ‘horseshoe’ of warm sea surface water (see map) continues in the extra-tropics of both hemispheres. Easterly trade winds were strong and persistent during December over a wide longitude band, including west of the Date Line.
