Island Climate Update 62 - November 2005

The Pacific Islands - Global Ocean Observing System (PI-GOOS)
Understanding the ocean for sustainable development in the South Pacific
Dr Sarah Grimes, SOPAC
Coral bleaching near Nuku’alofa, Tonga 2004. Photo courtesy of Dr Ed Lovell, USP.
Coastal erosion, Kiribati 2004.

Climate developments in October 2005
Outgoing Long-wave Radiation anomalies for October 2005. (Click for enlargement and detail)
An area of enhanced convection affected Papua New Guinea and also the northeast of Australia. The SPCZ extended from the region near the Solomon Islands towards Samoa and the Southern Cook Islands. The Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) was well north of the equator.

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 62 – November 2005
October’s climate
South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) located from the Solomon Islands to the Southern Cook Islands and parts of Tonga
Enhanced convection over Papua New Guinea and the northeast of Australia, suppressed convection from Vanuatu east to Pitcairn Island
Well above average rainfall in the east of Fiji’s main island.

Tropical rainfall outlook: November 2005 to January 2006
Rainfall outlook map for November 2005 to January 2006.

Tropical pacific rainfall - October 2005
Territory and station name
October 2005 rainfall total (mm)
Long-term average (mm)
October 2005 percent of average
Lowest on record (mm)
Highest on record (mm)
Records began
Australia
Cairns Airport
8.2
41
20
0
205
1941
Townsville Airport
40.0
26
154
0
253
1940
Brisbane Airport
127.8
94
136
4
407
1929
Sydney Airport
44.0
78
56
1929
Cook Islands
Rarotonga Airport
33.8
102
33
10
319
1929
Fiji
Rotuma
248.6
340
73
80
656
1912
Udu Point
123.9
165
75
10
361
1946
Nadi
127.4
102
125
2
342
1942

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 made possible with financial support from the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID), Wellington, New Zealand, wi