Seasonal climate summary southern hemisphere (autumn 1996): a return to near-normal conditions in the tropical Pacific

Southern hemisphere circulation patterns and anomalies for autumn (March - May) 1996 are reviewed, with emphasis given to Pacific Basin climate Indicators, and Australian rainfall and temperature patterns. Autumn saw a return to near-normal conditions in the Australian-Pacific region with oceanic and atmospheric indicators revealing a decline in the modest La Niña whose oceanic component peaked during the summer of 1995-96. Australian rainfall during autumn was above average across a large area of the north and northwest, and below average about the far southwest and in central and south central parts of the continent. Maximum temperatures were mostly near normal across Australia during autumn, while minima tended to be near or a little below normal.