Global Setting – January 2013
5 February 2013
The ocean – atmosphere system in the tropical Pacific is currently in a neutral state (neither El Niño nor La Niña) and the global forecast models indicate that these conditions are highly likely to persist into the autumn. In the New Zealand region, slightly higher than normal pressures are expected to the south of the country and southeast of the Chatham Islands, with weak anomalous flow from the north-easterly quarter over New Zealand.
Sea Surface Temperature
Sea surface temperatures are expected to be near average around New Zealand.