Science Centres: Climate
August
July's climate
Global setting and climate outlook
Feature article
Drought finally ends
Lower than normal rainfall during the 2007–08 agricultural growing season brought drought-like conditions to much of New Zealand. Recent winter rainfall has now overcome the soil moisture deficits in most places.
A monthly newsletter from the National Climate Centre.
August 2008 – Number 110
July climate – very wet and stormy for much of New Zealand. High river and stream flows were recorded over the northern two thirds of the country. Air temperatures were a little above average.
Outlook for August to October – average or above average air temperatures.
New Zealand climate in July
Rainfall (click to enlarge).
Temperature (click to enlarge).
July rainfall exceeded 200% of normal in Marlborough, Canterbury, and eastern Otago, and 150% of normal in Westland, Tasman, and most of the North Island.
Temperature was near or slightly above average for most of the country.
Global setting and climate outlook
El Niño-Southern Oscillation now neutral
Difference from average global SST (click to enlarge).
Monthly SOI values (click to enlarge).
The La Niña has ended, and the tropical Pacific is in a neutral state. The sea surface temperature anomaly in the NINO3 region (90–150°W) rose sharply in July to about +0.9 °C, while closer to the Date Line the surface temperature anomaly remained slightly negative. Equatorial trade winds were slightly enhanced about and west of the Date Line but were near normal elsewhere.
