A cool January for most of NZ; dry for North Island except Taranaki to Wellington.
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Temperature |
Temperatures were well-below average for most of the South Island and much of the Waikato and Manawatu-Wanganui regions (more than 1.2°C below January average). Below average temperatures were experienced for the remainder of the North Island (0.5-1.2°C below January average), except for Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne, and eastern Northland and Auckland, where near average temperatures were observed (within 0.5°C of January average). |
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Rainfall |
Well below normal rainfall (less than 50 percent of January normal) for Northland, parts of Waikato, Hawke’s Bay, and around Christchurch. Below normal rainfall (50-79 percent of January normal) in the remainder of those regions as well as Bay of Plenty. In contrast, well above normal rainfall (more than 149 percent of January normal rainfall) for Wellington region, parts of Marlborough, Central Otago, and Fiordland. Above normal rainfall (120-149 percent of January normal) in parts of north Canterbury and Taranaki, and near normal rainfall elsewhere (within 20 percent of January normal). |
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Soil moisture |
As at 1 February 2014, soils were much drier than normal across northern and central parts of the North Island, especially about western Northland, western and central Waikato, the Central Plateau, and inland Hawke’s Bay. Soils were also drier than normal in parts of south Canterbury. Soils were wetter than normal around East Cape and Southland. Soil moisture levels were near normal for the remainder of the country. |
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Sunshine |
Well above normal sunshine (more than 125 percent of January normal) for isolated areas of West Coast and inland Canterbury. Above normal sunshine (110-124 percent of January normal) for the Far North, parts of Waikato, and Bay of Plenty. Near normal sunshine (within 10 percent of January normal) for the remainder of New Zealand. |
Overview
January 2014 was characterised by much lower pressures than normal over and to the west and south of New Zealand, and close to near normal pressures were situated off the southeast coast of Australia. These regional pressure patterns resulted in a strong southwesterly flow anomaly across the country, which caused significantly lower than normal temperatures for the time of year across much of the country, especially in the south and west.
Temperatures for January were well-below average for the South Island and much of the Waikato and Manawatu-Wanganui regions (more than 1.2°C below January average). Temperatures were below average for the remainder of the North Island (0.5-1.2°C below January average), except for Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne, eastern Northland and Auckland, as well as the coastal strip north of Bank’s Peninsula in the South Island, where near average temperatures were observed (within 0.5°C of January average). The nation-wide average temperature in January 2014 was 16.2°C, (0.9°C below the 1971-2000 January average from NIWA’s seven-station temperature series which begins in 1909).
Well below normal rainfall (less than 50 percent of January normal) was experienced in Northland, parts of Waikato, Hawke’s Bay, and around Christchurch. Below normal rainfall (50-79 percent of January normal) was recorded in the remainder of those regions as well as Bay of Plenty. In contrast, well above normal rainfall (more than 149 percent of January normal rainfall) was recorded in Wellington region, as well as parts of Marlborough, Central Otago, and Fiordland. Above normal rainfall (120-149 percent of January normal) was recorded in parts of north Canterbury and Taranaki, and near normal rainfall (within 20 percent of January normal) was experienced elsewhere.
As at 1 February 2014, soils were much drier than normal across northern and central parts of the North Island, especially about western Northland, western and central Waikato, the Central Plateau, and inland Hawke’s Bay. Soils were also drier than normal in parts of south Canterbury. Soils were wetter than normal around East Cape and Southland. Soil moisture levels were near normal for the remainder of the country.
Well above normal sunshine (more than 125 percent of January normal) was observed in isolated areas of West Coast and inland Canterbury. Above normal sunshine (110-124 percent of January normal) was experienced in the Far North, parts of Waikato, and Bay of Plenty. Near normal sunshine (within 10 percent of January normal) was recorded in the remainder of New Zealand.
Further highlights:
- The highest temperature was 33.8°C, recorded at Leeston (near Christchurch) on 19 January.
- The lowest temperature was -2.7°C, observed at Waiouru on 27 January.
- The highest 1-day rainfall was 220 mm, recorded at North Egmont on 4 January.
- The highest wind gust was 183 km/hr, observed at Cape Turnagain on 16 January.
- In January 2014, Auckland was the warmest, Dunedin was the coolest and cloudiest, Christchurch was the driest, Wellington was the wettest, and Tauranga was the sunniest of the six main centres.
- Of the available, regularly reporting sunshine observation sites, the sunniest four centres so far in 2014 (January) are: Whakatane (314 hours), Tauranga (301 hours), Gisborne (296 hours), and Lake Tekapo (296 hours).
Full report
Full details of the January 2014 climate summary (PDF 595 KB)
Climate statistics table
Climate statistics for January 2014 (PDF 69 KB)
For further information, please contact:
Dr Richard Turner
Research Meteorologist - Climate, NIWA Wellington
Tel. 04 386 0315