Science Centres: Climate
May
April's climate
Global setting & climate outlook
Feature article
Climate Explorer
climate-explorer.niwa.co.nz
Wind roses and forecasts of mean wind speed
Wind roses
If you want to find out the background wind conditions at a climate station near you, Climate Explorer can provide these data from over 60 sites around New Zealand.
A monthly newsletter from the National Climate Centre.
May 2006 – Number 83
April – Above average rainfall over much of New Zealand, with severe flooding in Otago and Coromandel. The warmest April since 1981.
Outlook for May to July – more northeasterly air flows than usual over New Zealand with warm conditions in the north and west of the North Island. Wet in the north and east of the country.
In this issue
April's climate
Global setting & climate outlook
Feature article - Climate Explorer
Cover image
Hot air over Levin on Good Friday.
New Zealand climate in April 2006
Rainfall (click to enlarge).
Temperature (click to enlarge).
Rainfall was more than 300% of normal in parts of North and east Otago, and 200-250% of normal in many other places. Southern parts of Wairarapa, the Kaikoura coast, and coastal Southland were drier than usual.
Mean temperatures were about 1.5 °C above average throughout much of the North Island, with particularly warm conditions in parts of Auckland and Coromandel. Most South Island temperatures were 1 °C or more above average.
Global setting and climate outlook
Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) around New Zealand
New Zealand SST (click to enlarge).
Sea surface temperature anomalies in the New Zealand region increased slightly in April to +0.4 °C (after a warm February of about +1.0 °C, and a near-average March of +0.1 °C). The three month February to April average was about +0.5 °C.
