New Zealand Climate Update 225 - March 2018

February 2018 was marked by two ex-Tropical Cyclones, Fehi and Gita, that impacted New Zealand on the 1st and 20th of the month, respectively.

Weak La Niña conditions continued in the tropical Pacific during February 2018, but the current state of the Ocean – Atmosphere system in the Equatorial Pacific indicates that it is now reaching its decay phase

March – May 2018 temperatures are forecast to be above average for all regions of New Zealand with high confidence (60 to 70% chance).

For December 2017 – February 2018, the atmospheric circulation around New Zealand was forecast to be characterised by higher pressure than normal to the south and southeast of the country, and lower pressure than normal to the north.