Island Climate Update 87 - December 2007

Information sources for a national database of historical tropical cyclone impacts: an example from the Cook Islands
Dr. Fes de Scally, University of British Columbia-Okanagan, Canada
A national database of historically occurring tropical cyclones and their impacts is an important tool for disaster planning and mitigation, and the recent completion of such a database in the Cook Islands can serve as a template for other Pacific Island nations. Many sources of written information were used which are scattered in libraries and repositories around the world.

Climate developments in November 2007

Outgoing Long-wave Radiation anomalies for November 2007. (Click for enlargement and detail)

The South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) was very active, extending from the monsoon trough over Papua New Guinea toward the Solomon Islands, the region north of Fiji, and then southeast over Niue. The SPCZ was displaced further west than normal for the time of year, and further south in the region east of the Date Line.

Tropical Pacific rainfall - November 2007

Territory and station name
November 2007 rainfall
total (mm)
November 2007 percent
of average

Australia

Cairns Airport
77.4
80

Townsville Airport
121.6
199

Brisbane Airport
63.4
65

Sydney Airport
104.6
126

Cook Islands

Penrhyn
76.0
34

Rarotonga Airport
270.5
199

Rarotonga EWS
252.0
185

Fiji

Rotuma
435.3
154

Udu Point
334.0
164

Nadi Airport
325.2
246

Nausori
402.6
164

French Polynesia

Hiva Hoa, Atuona
40.4
63

Bora Bora
86.0
47

Tahiti – Faa’a
102.0
79

Tuamotu, Takaroa
57.6
27

Gambier,