Island Climate Update 93 - June 2008

Figure 1: Outgoing longwave radiation showing regions of enhanced (blue tones) and suppressed (orange tones) convection for the South Pacific.
Climate assessment of the 2007–08 rainy season in New Caledonia
Luc Maitrepierre, Head of Climate Division, Météo-France, New Caledonia
Climate of New Caledonia
In New Caledonia, the rainy season normally occurs between December and April.

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 93 – June 2008
May’s climate
South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) extended from Papua New Guinea, over northern Vanuatu, across Niue to the Austral Islands of French Polynesia, and was displaced southwest of normal.
Suppressed convection from Western Kiribati to Eastern Kiribati and about the Equator with low rainfall, especially near Nauru.
Below normal rainfall for the northern part of th

Climate developments in May 2008
Outgoing Long-wave Radiation anomalies for May 2008. (Click for enlargement and detail)
The South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) extended from Papua New Guinea southeast to northern Vanuatu, across Fiji and Niue to the Southern Cook Islands and Austral Islands, with an overall displaced position southwest of normal for May.

Tropical rainfall outlook: June to August 2008
Rainfall outlook map for June to August 2008. (Click for enlargement)
La Niña conditions are still very likely to influence rainfall patterns during this period. A large region of suppressed convection is very likely flanking the equatorial Pacific from Western to Eastern Kiribati, Tuvalu, the Northern Cook Islands, Tuamotu, the SocietyIslands, and the Marquesas.

Tropical Pacific rainfall - May 2008
Territory and station name
May 2008 rainfall
total (mm)
May 2008 percent
of average
Australia
Cairns Airport
44.4
46
Townsville Airport
0.8
2
Brisbane Airport
52
53
Sydney Airport
3
3
Cook Islands
Penrhyn
57
31
Aitutaki
16.5
8
Rarotonga Airport
203.8
121
Fiji
Rotuma Island
296
177
Udu Point
308.3
185
Nadi Airport
200.8
89
Nausori
376.5
248
French Polynesia
Hiva Hoa, Atuona
44.8
28
Bora Bora
26
23
Tahiti – Faa’a
44.7
43
Tuamotu, Takaroa
52.4
60
Gambier, Rikitea
133.6
97
Tubuai
140.2
83

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 produced by NIWA and made possible with financial support from the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID), with addi