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Climate Update 92 - February 2007

February

January's climate

Global setting & climate outlook

Feature article

Feature article

Calculating irrigation need

Modelled water deficit at Winchmore for 2005–2006 (magenta curve).

Estimating likely irrigation need is an important aspect of efficient farm management and feed budgeting.
Last month’s issue of The Climate Update illustrated the close relationship between measured and modelled soil moisture content at Winchmore. A soil moisture model, once calibrated from measured water content, can easily be run on a computer spreadsheet to track ongoing moisture status in the pasture root zone on a daily basis.

February

A monthly newsletter from the National Climate Centre.
February 2007 – Number 92
January – Below normal rainfall in much of the east coast, with variable stream and river flows, and increased soil moisture deficits; cool in the southern North Island and the east of the South Island.
Outlook for February to April – stronger than average westerly air flow over the southern half of New Zealand. Rainfall, soil moisture and river flows normal or below normal in the north and east of the North Island.

January's climate

New Zealand climate in January

Rainfall (click to enlarge).

Temperature (click to enlarge).

January rainfall was 50% or more below normal in many eastern regions, but above normal in coastal Northland, Bay of Plenty, Taupo, near East Cape, Wellington, and Nelson. Chatham Islands rainfall was more than 200% of normal.
The east of the South Island and the south of the North Island were cool, but elsewhere conditions were warmer than normal.

Global setting & climate outlook

Global setting and climate outlook
Sea surface temperatures around New Zealand

New Zealand SST (click to enlarge).

Average sea surface temperatures (SST) in the New Zealand region were 0.9 °C below normal in January. The 3–month (November to January) mean departure from normal of -0.6°C is the largest negative seasonal anomaly in at least the last 10 years.

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