Island Climate Update 82 - July 2007

Reviving of rainfall stations in Vanuatu
 
Figure 1: Map of Vanuatu
Jotham Napat, The Director, Vanuatu Meteorological Service
The Schools of the Pacific Rainfall Climate Experiment (SPaRCE) have been working with the Vanuatu Meteorological Services (VMS) since 2005 to strengthen the rainfall recording network in the Republic of Vanuatu.
The Republic of Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 islands (Figure 1) which spreads from 11°S to 20°S roughly north to south. Transport costs and availability limits the installation and servicing of climate networks here.

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 82 – July 2007
June’s climate
South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) west of the Date Line
Enhanced convergence southwest of New Caledonia; suppressed convection over the Equator, and Fiji
Above average rainfall in Southern French Polynesia; well below average rainfall in parts of Fiji
Warmer than normal in many Southwest Pacific islands, especially New Caledonia
El Niño/Southern Oscill

Climate developments in June 2007
 
Outgoing Long-wave Radiation anomalies for June 2007. (Click for enlargement and detail)
The South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) extended from southern Papua New Guinea east towards Tuvalu and the Date Line, with little activity east of the Date Line. Convergence was substantially enhanced over the north and east of Australia, extending southeast across the Tasman Sea to the region south of New Caledonia due to the development of at least three significant depressions off the eastern Australia seaboard during the month.

Three-month outlook: July to September 2007
 
Rainfall outlook map for July to September 2007.

Tropical Pacific rainfall - June 2007
Territory and station name
June 2007 rainfall
total (mm)
June 2007 percent
of average
Australia
Cairns Airport
63.8
133
Townsville Airport
110.0
550
Brisbane Airport
107.6
152
Sydney Airport
314.6
250
Cook Islands
Penrhyn
111.0
78
Rarotonga Airport
103.5
92
Rarotonga EWS
93.2
83
Fiji
Rotuma
116.7
51
Udu Point
66.4
57
Nadi
1.5
2
Nausori
78.6
52
Ono-I-Lau
47.4
54
French Polynesia
Hiva Hoa, Atuona
154.0
90
Bora Bora Motu
63.2
69
Tahiti – Faa’a
20.6
32
Tuamotu, Takaroa
91.6
102
Gambier, R

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