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Auckland Council is ramping up cyclone season preparations with chief executive Phil Wilson pledging a full readiness plan ahead of summer storms.
Cyclone season runs from November to April in the south-west Pacific region with NIWA and MetService indicating that they expect normal to below normal tropical cyclone activity this season.
Wilson updated Council’s Governing Body on October 24 saying that early preparations were underway for severe weather, and he is organising a full and formal briefing for councillors ahead of summer.
The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a key factor in the season outlook. The NIWA website explains ENSO as a naturally occurring global climate cycle with opposite phases, El Niño and La Niña, that influence rainfall, temperature and wind patterns around the world. These phases affect the development of tropical cyclones. They predict six to 10 named tropical cyclones could occur in the region. In particular, the impact risk for northern New Zealand is expected to be ‘normal-elevated’.
Both NIWA and MetService will continue to track ENSO and tropical cyclone activity over the next few months and if needed, will update their guidance in January. Their current guidance notes that tropical cyclones are not the only risk, reminding kiwis to follow the advice of their local meteorological service, civil defence or disaster management office when dangerous weather is forecast.
