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 56 – May 2005
April's climate: High rainfall in parts of Vanuatu, Fiji, New Caledonia, Niue, and Tonga, caused by active South Pacific Convergence Zone: floods in Fiji. Active Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone near the equator. Warmer in Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga, as well as Northern and Central French Polynesia. Cooler in parts of New Caledonia and Southern French Polynesia.
ENSO and sea surface temperatures (SST): Significant chance of an El Niño developing by southern hemisphere spring. Rainfall is expected to be near or above average over the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and the Southern Cook Islands. Below average rainfall likely in the Marquesas Islands.
Forecast validation: How well are we doing with our predictions?
Tropical rainfall outlook: May to July 2005.
Feature article: Tropical Cyclones in the Cook Islands.
Tropical Pacific rainfall: April 2005.
Sources of South Pacific rainfall data.
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