SEASONAL CLIMATE SUMMARY SOUTHERN-HEMISPHERE (AUTUMN 1996) - A RETURNTO NEAR-NORMAL CONDITIONS IN THE TROPICAL PACIFIC

Southern hemisphere circulation patterns and anomalies for autumn (Mar ch - May) 1996 are reviewed, with emphasis given to Pacific Basin clim ate indicators, and Australian rainfall and temperature patterns, Autu mn saw a return to near-normal conditions in the Australian-Pacific re gion with oceanic and atmospheric indicators revealing a decline in th e modest La Nina whose oceanic component peaked during the summer of 1 995-96. Australian rainfall during autumn was above average across a l arge area of the north and northwest, and below average about the far southwest and in central and south central parts of the continent. Max imum temperatures were mostly near normal across Australia during autu mn, while minima tended to be near or a little below normal.