Seasonal climate summary southern hemisphere (winter 2008): ENSO neutral but positive phases for both IOD and SAM

Abstract

Southern hemisphere circulation patterns and associated anomalies for the austral winter 2008 are reviewed, with emphasis given to the Pacific Basin climate indicators and Australian rainfall and temperature patterns. Winter 2008 confirmed the indications seen in autumn 2008 of the end of the 2007/08 La Niña event. Australian seasonal maximum and minimum temperatures were generally close to average, consistent with the neutral state of the El NiñoSouthern Oscillation (ENSO), but the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) were both in their positive phases, with rainfall generally below normal across southern Australia.