Tropical Pacific rainfall

Tropical cyclone update
There have been three tropical cyclones to date. The first was 'Tam' which occurred north of Viti Levu, Fiji, on 12 January, tracking towards Tonga on the 13th, and then southeast to pass west of Niue, with gale force winds. 'Urmil' was next, on the 15th, with maximum sustained winds of 85 km/h – but well south of Niue. Tropical cyclone 'Jim' was the third occurrence this season, with sustained wind speeds of 150 km/h (hurricane force).

Tropical cyclone update

There have been three tropical cyclones to date. The first was 'Tam' which occurred north of Viti Levu, Fiji, on 12 January, tracking towards Tonga on the 13th, and then southeast to pass west of Niue, with gale force winds. 'Urmil' was next, on the 15th, with maximum sustained winds of 85 km/h – but well south of Niue. Tropical cyclone 'Jim' was the third occurrence this season, with sustained wind speeds of 150 km/h (hurricane force). 'Jim' was located in the western Coral Sea on 28 January, tracked east, north of New Caledonia, and then southeast to pass south of Vanuatu. There are on average two to three tropical cyclone occurrences per month in both February and March. The March issue of the ICU will provide an update on information relating to any occurrences of tropical cyclones in the region.

Tropical pacific rainfall - January 2006

Territory and station name January 2006 rainfall total (mm) Long-term average (mm) January 2006 percent of average Lowest on record (mm) Highest on record (mm) Records began
Australia
Cairns Airport 333.6 395 84 86 1417 1941
Townsville Airport 451.2 271 166 9 1142 1940
Brisbane Airport 174.2 158 110 10 804 1929
Sydney Airport 68.6 100 69 1929
Cook Islands
Rarotonga Airport 271.7 226 120 24 668 1929
Rarotonga EWS 232.4 226 103 53 204 2000
Fiji
Rotuma 954.1 355 269 28 679 1912
Udu Point 519.0 313 166 17 991 1946
Nadi 362.5 343 106 13 981 1942
Nausori 242.6 365 66 108 686 1956
Ono-I-Lau 288.9 179 161 16 381 1943
French Polynesia
Hiva Hoa, Atuona 72.8 158 46 17 883 1951
Bora Bora, Motu 227.0 247 92 73 690 1976
Tahiti – Faa’a 263.8 273 97 46 956 1919
Tuamotu, Takaroa 75.8 192 39 55 681 1953
Gambier, Rikitea 217.4 146 149 14 292 1952
Tubuai 220.4 203 109 20 536 1953
Rapa 278.6 239 117 25 696 1951
New Caledonia
Ile Art, Belep 218.4 253 86 21 517 1962
Koumac 164.0 167 98 4 578 1951
Ouloup 322.0 177 182 36 608 1966
Ouanaham 367.6 180 204 25 576 1961
Poindimie 555.8 370 150 43 1245 1965
La Roche 262.8 190 138 28 578 1956
La Tontouta 130.6 123 106 6 380 1949
Noumea 69.3 107 65 0 383 1863
Moue 248.8 171 145 34 711 1972
Kiribati
Tarawa 15.2 250 6 2 825 1946
New Zealand
Kaitaia 89.8 82 110 2 287 1985
Whangarei Airport 156.6 84 186 1 315 1937
Auckland Airport 79.2 67 118 4 206 1962
Niue
Hanan Airport 454.8 256 178 59 499 1996
North Tasman
Lord Howe Island 66.4 115 58 10 291 1886
Norfolk Island 63.2 91 69 8 340 1921
Raoul Island 30.4 130 23 2 464 1937
Tonga
Niuatoputapu 419.5 276 152 45 608 1947
Nuku’alofa 325.0 174 187 10 582 1944
Lupepau’u 322.1 288 112 82 686 1995
Fua’amotu Airport 193.8 201 96 4 533 1980
Tuvalu
Nui Island 78.4 422 19 72 890 1941
Funafuti 380.8 386 99 166 1142 1927
Nanumea 64.1 357 18 39 1143 1941
Nuilakita 755.2 376 201 73 816 1941
Vanuatu
Pekoa 238.2 324 74 53 671 1951
Lamap 110.3 252 44 39 678 1960
Bauerfield 157.3 249 63 28 434 1985
Tanna/Burtonfield 200.0 162.123 19.8 373 1961
Aneityum 292.0 276 106 18 817 1958
Wallis & Futuna
Wallis island, Hififo 526.4 334 158 126 573 1951
Maopoopo, Futuna Island 191.8 331 58

Rainfall totalling 200 percent or more is considered well above average. Totals of 40 percent or less are normally well below average. Highlighted values are new records.

Data are published as received and may be subject to change after undergoing quality control checks. The data in italics are obtained from synoptic weather reports. These can sometimes differ from the true values, due to communications or station outage, etc.