Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => The Environment => Topic started by: katieHaylor on 03/11/2017 09:29:43

Title: Is New Zealand getting more rain?
Post by: katieHaylor on 03/11/2017 09:29:43

Peter says:

I have noticed over the last couple of years that New Zealand has had more and more rain. I believe this year is the wettest I have ever seen. I was wondering how much of this is due to random weather patterns, how much has to do with general changes in weather cycles over the years and how much is due to global warming. I suspect the latter has something to do with it.

What do you think?

Title: Re: Is New Zealand getting more rain?
Post by: evan_au on 03/11/2017 12:22:32

A survey of the last 140 years suggest that:
- Sea temperatures around NZ have warmed by around 1C
- But the effects on rainfall have been mixed because of different geography, and in different seasons
- El Nino/La Nina events have a big impact on New Zealand
- The most concrete comment they make is that with increased sea surface temperatures, extreme rainfall events are likely to become more common.

See: https://www.niwa.co.nz/our-science/climate/information-and-resources/clivar/pastclimate#y140

Title: Re: Is New Zealand getting more rain?
Post by: AlphAcorn on 05/11/2017 02:32:30

My observation of the weather patterns going down from PNG is that the rain seems to follow the islands down to NZ, it used to move more westerly across the Coral Sea,  so your observation seems to be correct