Island Climate Update 82 - July 2007

Reviving of rainfall stations in Vanuatu
 
Figure 1: Map of Vanuatu

Jotham Napat, The Director, Vanuatu Meteorological Service
The Schools of the Pacific Rainfall Climate Experiment (SPaRCE) have been working with the Vanuatu Meteorological Services (VMS) since 2005 to strengthen the rainfall recording network in the Republic of Vanuatu.
The Republic of Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 islands (Figure 1) which spreads from 11°S to 20°S roughly north to south. Transport costs and availability limits the installation and servicing of climate networks here.

Climate developments in June 2007
 
Outgoing Long-wave Radiation anomalies for June 2007. (Click for enlargement and detail)

The South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) extended from southern Papua New Guinea east towards Tuvalu and the Date Line, with little activity east of the Date Line. Convergence was substantially enhanced over the north and east of Australia, extending southeast across the Tasman Sea to the region south of New Caledonia due to the development of at least three significant depressions off the eastern Australia seaboard during the month.

Tropical Pacific rainfall - June 2007

Territory and station name
June 2007 rainfall
total (mm)
June 2007 percent
of average

Australia

Cairns Airport
63.8
133

Townsville Airport
110.0
550

Brisbane Airport
107.6
152

Sydney Airport
314.6
250

Cook Islands

Penrhyn
111.0
78

Rarotonga Airport
103.5
92

Rarotonga EWS
93.2
83

Fiji

Rotuma
116.7
51

Udu Point
66.4
57

Nadi
1.5
2

Nausori
78.6
52

Ono-I-Lau
47.4
54

French Polynesia

Hiva Hoa, Atuona
154.0
90

Bora Bora Motu
63.2
69

Tahiti – Faa’a
20.6
32

Tuamotu, Takaroa
91.6
102

Gambier, R