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Island Climate Update 69 - June 2006

June

Monthly climate

Three-month outlook

Tropical Pacific rainfall

Feature article

Data sources

Feature article

Summary of the 2005-06 tropical cyclone season
S Burgess, NIWA

Figure 1: The number of Southwest Pacific tropical cyclones for the 2005-06 season (solid red bar) compared to frequencies during past 30 years. The horizontal green line indicates the 30-year average. Not including Kate, which remained west of 150 E.

Figure 2.

June

An overview of the present climate in the tropical South Pacific Islands, with an outlook for the coming months, to assist in dissemination of climate information in the Pacific region.
Number 69 – June 2006
May’s climate

South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) further south than average
Suppressed convection from Nauru to Eastern Kiribati
High rainfall in parts of central French Polynesia
Very dry in southern Tonga
Temperature: above average in parts of Tonga, and French Polynesia; below average in New Caledonia

El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and seasonal rainfall for

Monthly climate

Climate developments in May 2006

Outgoing Long-wave Radiation anomalies for May 2006. (Click for enlargement and detail)

The SPCZ was displaced further south than average during May, extending from the Coral Sea east towards Vanuatu, and across the Date Line southeast to the Austral Islands of Southern French Polynesia. Enhanced convection occurred within the SPCZ region, as well as over much of New Caledonia.
Rainfall was at least 150% of average throughout much of central French Polynesia, and near or above average over much of Vanuatu. Rainfall was above average in Niue.

Tropical Pacific rainfall

Tropical pacific rainfall - May 2006

Territory and station name
May 2006 rainfall
total (mm)
May 2006 percent
of average

Australia

Cairns Airport
48.0
50

Townsville Airport
28.4
79

Brisbane Airport
10.0
10

Sydney Airport
26.8
28

Cook Islands

Penrhyn
189.4
103

Rarotonga EWS
118.0
70

Rarotonga Airport
128.5
76

Fiji

Rotuma
321.9
109

Udu Point
100.8
60

Nadi
229.4
258

Nausori
340.5
137

Ono-I-Lau
77.8
76

French Polynesia

Hiva Hoa, Atuona
133.8
85

Bora Bora Motu
132.4
119

Tahiti – Faa’a
432.2
420

Tuamotu, Takaroa
90.4
103

Tuam

Data sources

Sources of South Pacific rainfall data
This bulletin is a multi-national project with important collaboration from the following Pacific nations:
American Samoa
Australia
Cook Islands
Fiji
French Polynesia
Kiribati
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Niue
Papua New Guinea
Pitcairn Island
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Tokelau
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu
Requests for Pacific island climate data should be directed to the Meteorological Services concerned.
Acknowledgements
This bulletin is made possible with financial support from the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID), Wellington, New Zealand, wi