March

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 66 – March 2006

February’s climate

• Active South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) extending from north of the Solomon Islands southeast towards the Southern Cook Islands
• Strongly suppressed convection over Queensland, extending east towards Vanuatu
• Very high rainfall in parts of Samoa and northern Tonga
• Warmer than average throughout much of French Polynesia
• Four tropical cyclones for the season to date

El Niño/Southern Oscillation and seasonal rainfall forecasts

• Tropical Pacific Ocean and atmosphere remains consistent with weak La Niña conditions
• Below average rainfall in Western and Eastern Kiribati
• On average, two to three tropical cyclones occur in March

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