Island Climate Update 94 - July 2008

Southwest Pacific Tropical Cyclone frequencies, 1977 – 2008.
Damage to a banana plantation in Vanuatu from tropical cyclone Funa. (Photo: David Gibson, Vanuatu Meteorological Service)
Tropical Cyclones in the Southwest Pacific Basin 2007-08
Jim Salinger, Jim Renwick, and Andrew Lorrey, NIWA
Southwest Pacific tropical cyclones in 2007–08
The 2007–08 Southwest Pacific tropical cyclone (TC) season had five occurrences east of 150°E, two less than the seasonal average (1976–77 to 2006–07).

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 94 – July 2008
June’s climate
The South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) extended from Papua New Guinea, over northern Vanuatu, across Niue to the Austral Islands, and was displaced southwest of normal.
Very suppressed convection from Western Kiribati to Eastern Kiribati and about the Equator weakened.
Below normal rainfall for the northern part of French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and in part

Climate developments in June 2008
Outgoing Long-wave Radiation anomalies for June 2008. (Click for enlargement and detail)
The South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) extended southeast from Papua New Guinea to Fiji and Niue and across to the Southern Cook Islands and Austral Islands, with an overall displaced position southwest of normal. A region of suppressed convection that was persistent along the Equator during the austral spring and summer has contracted, but still extends from Western Kiribati to Eastern Kiribati including Tuvalu, Tokelau, and the Northern Cook Islands.

Tropical rainfall outlook: July to September 2008
Rainfall outlook map for July to September 2008. (Click for enlargement)
La Niña conditions have dissipated, but residual effects are still likely to have an influence on rainfall patterns during the July–September 2008 forecast period. A large region of suppressed convection is very likely in the southwest Pacific encompassing the Northern Cook Islands, Tuamotu, the Society Islands, the Austral Islands, and the Marquesas.

Tropical Pacific rainfall - June 2008
Territory and station name
June 2008 rainfall
total (mm)
June 2008 percent
of average
Australia
Cairns Airport
19
39
Townsville Airport
1
4
Brisbane Airport
122
172
Sydney Airport
127
101
Cook Islands
Penrhyn
22
15
Aitutaki
64
68
Rarotonga Airport
35
31
Fiji
Rotuma Island
374
163
Udu Point
341
294
Nadi Airport
50
77
Nausori
362
240
French Polynesia
Hiva Hoa, Atuona
101
58
Bora Bora
70
76
Tahiti – Faa’a
123
193
Tuamotu, Takaroa
82
91
Gambier, Rikitea
136
84
Tubuai
92
79
Rapa
161
80

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