Island Climate Update 64 - January 2006

Feature article

PI-GOOS Case Study: Ocean Monitoring and Economic Benefits to the Cook Islands’ Black Pearl Industry
Aarti V Naidu, SOPAC

Monitoring buoy deployed at Manihiki Lagoon in Nov 2003

Manihiki Atoll Pearl Farm Map determined by bathymetric mapping and interviews with the local community

The Pacific Island Global Ocean Observing System (PI-GOOS) is dedicated to acquiring oceanographic and related climate data and developing this into information and products useful for sustainable coastal and marine management in the Pacific.

January

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 64 – January 2006
December’s climate

The South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) extended from the Solomon Islands towards the Southern Cook Islands; high rainfall in parts of Fiji, northern Tonga, and French Polynesia
Suppressed convection occurred around the Date Line in the central equatorial Southwest Pacific; below average rainfall in New Caledonia and the Southern Cook Islands
Well ab

Monthly climate

Climate developments in December 2005

Outgoing Long-wave Radiation anomalies for December 2005. (Click for enlargement and detail)

A large area of suppressed convection affected the central equatorial Pacific extending to parts of the Northern and Southern Cook Islands, and the Society and Tuamotu Islands of French Polynesia. The South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) extended from the Solomon Islands to just north of the Southern Cook Islands, resulting in above average rainfall over parts of Fiji, Tonga, and French Polynesia.

Three-month outlook

Tropical rainfall outlook: January to March 2006

Rainfall outlook map for January to March 2006. (Click for enlargement)

A large area of enhanced convection is expected from Vanuatu east southeast to Pitcairn Island, including Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Niue, and the Society and Austral Islands, where rainfalls are likely to be near or above average. The Southern Cook Islands is expected to experience above average rainfall.
Near or below average rainfall is likely from Tuvalu east to the Marquesas Islands, including Tokelau, the Northern Cook Islands, and the Tuamotu Islands.

Tropical Pacific rainfall

Tropical pacific rainfall - December 2005

Territory and station name
December 2005 rainfall total (mm)
Long-term average (mm)
December 2005 percent of average
Lowest on record (mm)
Highest on record (mm)
Records began

American Samoa

Pago Pago Airport
571.5
364
157

1966

Australia

Cairns Airport
34.2
184
19
9
919
1941

Townsville Airport
57.6
131
44
0
458
1940

Brisbane Airport
120.2
126
95
30
438
1929

Sydney Airport
21.4
76
28

1929

Cook Islands

Rarotonga Airport
104.4
188
56
11
653
1929

Rarotonga EWS
92.2
188
49
53
204
2000

Data sources

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

NIWA