Climate Summary for June 2008

June 2008: Warm in most places especially south of South Island; Wet in Waikato and North Canterbury and dry in Marlborough and Otago

• Temperature: Warm overall; inland South Canterbury and Otago more than 1.5 °C above average;
• Rainfall: Below normal rainfall (around 50% of normal) in north of South Island and Otago; above normal (around 150% or more of normal) in North Canterbury, inland Manawatu, the Central Plateau and Waikato;
• Sunshine: Above normal hours of bright sunshine recorded for most of country.

June, in contrast to May, was much warmer than average in places especially inland South Canterbury and Otago, with temperatures 1.5 to 2°C above average. Average daily maximum temperatures were between 2 and 3°C above average in these same areas. The national average temperature of 8.9°C was 0.5 °C above average, and only slightly cooler than May. Record high extreme daily maximum temperatures occurred in a few South Island locations. It was much sunnier than normal in eastern areas of the North Island, the north of the South Island, Tekapo, Central Otago and Southland.

Rainfall was below normal in Nelson, Marlborough and Otago, with totals around 50% of normal for the month of June. In contrast, rainfall in North Canterbury, inland Manawatu, the Central Plateau, Waikato, and eastern Auckland was well above normal for the month, being between 140 and 190% of normal. In terms of other extremes, the weather got very boisterous from the 22^nd to the 29^th, with thunderstorms, hail, lightning and high winds affecting the upper North Island through to the 27^th, then strong southerlies bringing snow to the Central Plateau on the 28^th, and gale force winds in the Wellington area on the 29^th. More anticyclones than normal occurred in the Tasman Sea and to the east of New Zealand, with stronger westerlies over New Zealand and to the south.

Further Highlights

• The highest temperature during June 2008 was 23.1°C recorded at Waipara West on the 15^th. This was only 0.9°C below the record South Island temperature for June of 24.0°C recorded at Kaikoura and Temuka on 2 June 1976. Westport Airport, Haast, Appleby, Blenheim Research Centre and Tekapo recorded their highest ever June maximum air temperatures.
• The lowest air temperature during the month was -7.5ºC recorded at Hanmer Forest on the 8^th.
• The highest 1-day rainfall was 152 mm recorded at Milford Sound on the 6^th.
• The highest wind gust for the month was 183 km/h at Hicks Bay on the 18^th.
• Of the five main centres, Auckland was the warmest and the wettest. Wellington the sunniest, Christchurch the coldest, and Dunedin the driest.

Temperature

Mean temperatures were particularly warm in inland South Canterbury and Otago, being 1.5 to 2 °C above average. Western and northern North Island areas were also warmer than normal for June (by between 0.5 to 1 °C).

Rainfall

Rainfall was about half (50 percent) of normal in Nelson/Marlborough and Otago, and about one and a half (150%) times normal or more in North Canterbury, inland Manawatu, Central Plateau, Waikato, and eastern Auckland.

Sunshine

June totals of bright sunshine were above average (at least 110 percent of normal) throughout much of the country. Sunshine totals were well above average (125 percent or more of normal)in Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, eastern Marlborough, Tekapo, Central Otago and Southland.

Full report

• Full details of the June 2008 Climate Summary

Climate statistics tables

Climate statistics June 2008

For further information, please contact:

Dr Jim Salinger – Principal Scientist, Climate NIWA National Climate Centre – Auckland Phone +64 9 375 2053 [email protected]

Dr Jim Renwick – Science Leader NIWA National Climate Centre – Wellington Phone +64 4 386 0343 [email protected]

 

Acknowledgement of NIWA as the source is required.