Science Centres: Climate
April
March's climate
Global setting and climate outlook
Feature article
A monthly newsletter from the National Climate Centre.
April 2008 – Number 106
March climate – warm over much of the country and heatwave temperatures exceeding 30 °C in the south. Low rainfall over much of the North Island, and in Canterbury and Fiordland. Low river flows over most of the North Island.
Outlook for April to June – La Niña weakening. Warm conditions over most of the country. Rainfall is expected to be near normal in most places, but normal or below in the west of the North Island.
2007–08 summer follows a dry year
Map 1
Map 2
The year 2007 was very dry across much of New Zealand. Map 1 shows lowest decile (once in 10 year) rainfalls in 2007 for large areas of the country.
New Zealand climate in March
Rainfall (click to enlarge).
Temperature (click to enlarge).
March temperatures were well above average in most places. The national average temperature of 16.5 °C was 0.8 °C above normal. Heatwave conditions occurred mid month across inland and eastern areas of the South Island, with temperatures of 30 °C or more.
Canterbury, Fiordland, Auckland, Waikato, the King Country, and parts of eastern Wairarapa recorded 30–50% of normal rainfall.
Global setting and climate outlook
La Niña weakening
Difference from average global SST (click to enlarge).
Monthly SOI values (click to enlarge).
La Niña conditions have reached maturity, and are now showing signs of weakening. Below normal sea surface temperatures (SSTs) extend across most of the equatorial Pacific, with anomalies of –1.0°C or lower over the central equatorial region.
