Feature article
The Southwest Pacific climate in 2006
Stuart Burgess and Dr Jim Salinger, NIWA
Figure 1. The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). (Click for enlargement)
Figure 2: Sea Surface temperature (SST) anomalies (departure from average,°C).(Click for enlargement)
Figure 3. Outgoing Long-wave Radiation (OLR) anomalies (departure from average).(Click for enlargement)
This year saw a change from a La Niña to an El Niño climate pattern in the Pacific. The first quarter of the year was dominated by weak La Niña-like (cold episode) characteristics, followed by a neutral period.