MAURITIUS METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES

CLIMATE APRIL 2018

Introduction

During the month of April, both summer and winter weather systems influenced the Mascarene Islands. A cold front influenced the weather from 15 to 16
and from 23 to 24 it was clouds associated with Severe Tropical Storm Fakir. Both ENSO and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) remained neutral. A wet phase of
the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) was observed in the second fortnight. This contributed to the strengthening of the convective activity along the
western equatorial Indian Ocean and around the same time tropical storm Fakir reached severe tropical storm intensity.

1. Rainfall

Fig. 1: (a) Observed rainfall (b) rainfall anomaly (mm) Fig. 2: Regional rainfall distribution (based on 23 stations)
Mean/LTM Rainfall (mm)
Well above normal rainfall was recorded in April 2018. On two occasions during the first half of the month, Mauritius was influenced by unstable
conditions which caused temporary flooding. This was namely from 04 to 06 and on 21 as shown in Figure 3(a) and (b). During the second half of the
month, most of the rainfall was contributed by STS Fakir from 23 to 24. However, remnants of a cold front also gave showery weather from 16 to 17.
A few regions had excess rainfall of over 350mm over the Central Plateau, and over 300 mm to the South (Figure 1(b)) and occasional flooding and
water accumulations were observed. Highest 24- hour rainfall was observed on 04 in the region of Dubreuil which amounted to 220 mm.
(a) Unstable weather on 05 (b) Unstable weather on 21 (c) STS Fakir on 24 (d) Cool & Dry airmass on 27
Apr18

Surface Temperature Fig 3: Weather systems during April 2018

A slight decrease in rainfall is

observed in April rainfall during
the last 50 years. April 2018 stands
as the fifth wettest on record in
the last 50 years and the wettest in
the last 15 years.

Fig. 4: Rainfall trend in the last 50 years for April.

 2. Temperature

Temperature was quite variable during the month. Even if on most days warm conditions
were experienced, occasionally temperature plummeted below seasonal mean both at
night and during the day.

It was particularly warm to the extreme North, East, and Southeast and over part of
Central Plateau where at certain stations it was warmer by over 4°C on certain days,
notably on 12 and 19 (Fig. 7(a)). Highest daily maximum temperature reached 33.6°C at
Port Louis. Warm events with consecutive warm days include 01-03, 11-13 and 19-20.

Occasional drops in maximum temperatures were also observed. Cold days, over several
stations, were observed from 04 to 05, on 14 and 24 and from 26 to 30. Most of the time
the drop in maximum was due to cloud cover, particularly those associated with STS
Fakir (Fig. 3(b)). However, in the last week, cold air associated with an anticyclone
invaded the island (Fig. 3(d)). The number of cold days at some stations was as follows:
16eme Mille_Mon Bois (7), Moka (8), Belle Rive (5), Choisy (9), Le Morne (6) and Fuel
(a)
(6).

Drops in minimum temperatures were mostly observed over the coastal areas (Fig. 6(b)).
Widespread drop were observed during the period 27-29 associated with the cold air
advection during the last week.

Mean monthly anomalies in daytime temperatures varied from -0.5 to +1.9 °C and that of
night time temperatures -0.9 to +1.3 °C.

Highest maximum temperature on record was observed during April 2018 at several
stations namely at Mon Desert Mon Tresor (33 °C), Gros Cailloux (33 °C), Mon Loisir
Rouillard (33 °C), Nouvelle Decouverte (30.2 °C) and Alma (29 °C).

(a)

Fig. 5: (a) Maximum (b) Minimum temperature distribution

Some stations had up to 16 warm days (maximum
temperature anomaly (anomax) >2°C).
Stations Highest Number of warm
anomax (°C) days.
Union Park 3.7 8
Riche en Eau 3.5 11
Plaisance 2.3 2
Belle Mare 3.5 11
Providence 4.8 13
Mon Desert Alma 3.5 11
Queen Victoria 2.7 5
Sauveterre 3.4 16
Bois Cheri 4.2 8
Reduit 3.7 8
Mon Loisir Rouillard 4.0 12
Vacoas 3.1 7
Quatres Bornes 3.5 10
Beau Songes 2.8 4
(a ) (b )
Fig. 6: (a) Maximum (b) Minimum temperature anomaly

Fig. 7: Daily maximum temperature anomalies at Vacoas and Plaisance Fig. 8: Daily minimum temperature anomalies at Vacoas and Plaisance
 3. Sunshine and Humidity
4. Winds
Fig. 9: Daily The monthly relative humidity was close to the mean both at Vacoas
Relative Humidity: and Plaisance. Slightly more moist conditions prevailed during the
Vacoas (blue) and first week while during the last week, with the advection of the cold
Plaisance (red) air, the relative humidity dropped. This drop was quite marked in
some regions located over the coastal areas and to the south. For
instance, the humidity remained below 70% at Plaisance for the
period 27 to 30.

Monthly mean sunshine hours were close at Vacoas (6.9 hours) while
Fig. 10: Daily at Plaisance it was below by 0.8 hours. Persistent cloud cover from
sunshine hours: 04-05, 14 and 24 led to almost nil sunshine hours. This is in
Vacoas (blue) and concurrence to the drop in maximum temperatures shown in Fig. 7.
Plaisance (red)

3. Winds
Wind blew mainly from the eastern sector and occasionally reached 35 km/h
(Fig. 11). Lighter winds were experienced mainly from the northern and western
sectors. Southerly winds prevailed during the last week of the month and these
accounted for the cold air advection.

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or after authorization from:
Director, Meteorological Services,
St Paul; Road Vacoas,
Tel: 6861031/32, Fax: 6861033, email: meteo@intnet.mu
Fig. 11: Wind frequency at Plaisance