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Island Climate Update 95 - August 2008

August

Monthly climate

Tropical Pacific rainfall

Three-month outlook

Feature article

Data sources

Feature article

Average rainfall rate (mm day-1) during (top) all of 2007 and January 2007 (bottom).

Pacific Intertropical Convergence Zones during 2007
Dr. A. Brett Mullan, National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, New Zealand
There are two prominent convergence zones in the Pacific: the ITCZ in the Northern Hemisphere between 5°N–10°N, and the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) that extends southeastward from near the Solomon Islands (10°S, 160°E) to near 30°S, 140°W.

August

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 95 – August 2008
July’s climate

The South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) was not as well-defined in July as in previous months.
Very suppressed convection from Western Kiribati to Eastern Kiribati and south of the Equator from the Solomon Islands to the Northern Cook Islands.
Below normal rainfall for Tonga, Niue, the Southern Cook Islands, and New Caledonia.

El Niño/Southern Oscillat

Monthly climate

Climate developments in July 2008

Outgoing Long-wave Radiation anomalies for July 2008. (Click for enlargement and detail)

The South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) exhibited diminished activity in July relative to previous months. Only a small region of enhanced rainfall was observed in satellite data during July 2008, centred near Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. A region of suppressed convection expanded along the Equator relative to last month, and extends from Western Kiribati to Eastern Kiribati including Tuvalu, Tokelau, and the Northern Cook Islands.

Three-month outlook

Tropical rainfall outlook: August to October 2008

Rainfall outlook map for August to October 2008. (Click for enlargement)

Sea surface temperature outlook map for August to October 2008. (Click for enlargement)

La Niña conditions have dissipated in the equatorial and subtropical southwest Pacific.

Tropical Pacific rainfall

Tropical Pacific rainfall - July 2008

Territory and station name
July 2008 rainfall
total (mm)
July 2008 percent
of average

Australia

Cairns Airport
52
179

Townsville Airport
95
680

Brisbane Airport
91
145

Sydney Airport
90
71

Cook Islands

Penrhyn
112
80

Aitutaki
N/A
N/A

Rarotonga Airport
30
29

Fiji

Rotuma Island
453
195

Udu Point
101
114

Nadi Airport
73
159

Nausori
99
85

French Polynesia

Hiva Hoa, Atuona
125
80

Bora Bora
35
47

Tahiti – Faa’a
70
133

Tuamotu, Takaroa
62
76

Gambier, Rikitea
157
101

Tubuai
143
99

Rapa
367

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