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Climate Update 95 - May 2007

9 July 2007

May

April's climate

Global setting and climate outlook

Feature article

Feature article

Adapting to climate changes
 
Hikurangi farmland in Northland after inundation from the heavy rainfall of 27–29 March 2007. (Photo: Graeme Smart)

Dr Andrew Tait, National Climate Centre, NIWA
New Zealand’s climate is highly variable. Growing seasons are rarely the same from one year to the next. Will there be an El Niño or a La Niña? Is the climate changing on a long-term basis, and what will it mean to me?
We will all adapt to future changes in the climate, eventually. Livelihoods depend on our ability to adapt.

May

A monthly newsletter from the National Climate Centre.
May 2007 – Number 95
April – cool in most places, although near normal temperatures in parts of the South Island. A relatively dry month in many areas. Low streamflows except in Northland.
Outlook for May to July – average or above average air temperatures in most places. Normal or below normal rainfall and stream flows in the east of the country.

April's climate

New Zealand climate in April

Rainfall (click to enlarge).

Temperature (click to enlarge).

April was a relatively dry month overall, especially over the North Island and the north and west of the South Island, with less than 50% of normal rainfall in many areas.

Global setting and climate outlook

Global setting and climate outlook
50% chance of move to La Niña

Difference from average global SST (click to enlarge).

Monthly SOI values (click to enlarge).

Conditions are currently neutral in the tropical Pacific, but there is a relatively high (50%) chance of a transition to La Niña conditions during the next three months. The pattern of sea surface temperature anomalies is beginning to resemble La Niña conditions, with colder than average waters near the Equator in the far eastern Pacific (see map) and slightly warmer than average waters in the western Pacific.

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