SOUTHWEST PACIFIC TEMPERATURES - DIURNAL AND SEASONAL TRENDS

Temperature trends are presented for a large part of the southwest Pac ific. The trends differ from those documented for Northern Hemisphere land areas, where warming has occurred mainly through increases in min imum temperature. The New Zealand patterns are derived from recently c ompleted analyses of monthly and annual mean maximum and minimum surfa ce temperature records for a newly homogenised historical climate data series for New Zealand and outlying islands. They indicate that the w arming in the New Zealand region over the past five decades can be att ributed to increases in both mean maximum (mostly daytime) and mean mi nimum (mostly night time) temperature. All seasons show a temperature increase, with the largest occurring in summer (DJF). Northern Hemisph ere evidence suggests that changes in cloud cover and the presence of sulfate aerosols plays a direct role. The present results imply that, while the observed warming in a large portion of the Northern Hemisphe re landmass may be significantly affected by both these factors, sulfa te aerosol effects may be less important in the Southern Hemisphere.