December 2001

Wednesday 2 January 2002
In the North Island very wet with warm nights
Record low sunshine hours in many regions
Dry in Canterbury
New rainfall records were set in many areas during a warm but unsettled December. Many northern and eastern North Island areas received at least twice their average December rainfall, with some locations establishing new records. Records were set at Kerikeri, Motu, Mahia, Turangi, Whakatu near Hastings, Masterton and Lake Rotoiti in the Nelson Lakes district.

Wednesday 2 January 2002

In the North Island very wet with warm nights Record low sunshine hours in many regions Dry in Canterbury

New rainfall records were set in many areas during a warm but unsettled December. Many northern and eastern North Island areas received at least twice their average December rainfall, with some locations establishing new records. Records were set at Kerikeri, Motu, Mahia, Turangi, Whakatu near Hastings, Masterton and Lake Rotoiti in the Nelson Lakes district. It was also wetter than usual in many other regions, with rain falling on more than 20 days in many North Island locations. Record low monthly sunshine hours occurred in many regions. In contrast, low rainfall occurred in Canterbury, with totals only half average. Soil moisture deficits are high in parts of Canterbury and Central Otago, but not severe as at the end of December 2000.

It was extremely warm throughout much of the North Island, due to well above average night-time temperatures. These were the highest on record throughout most of the North Island, and some South Island locations, with values between 2 and 3°C above average. Mean temperatures were near average in Central Otago. The national average temperature of 16.6°C was 0.9°C above the mean December temperature during 1961–1990.

The overall December climate pattern involved many more depressions (‘lows’) than usual in the eastern Tasman Sea and over New Zealand, producing more frequent and moist northerlies over the North Island and easterlies over the South Island with persistent cloud cover.

Extremely low sunshine hours in many regions

Sunshine and solar radiation totals were less than 70 percent of average in many northern and western regions, and less than 90 percent of average elsewhere. Near or record low December sunshine hours were recorded at:

Location

December sunshine (hours)

Percentage of normal

Year records began

Comments

Kaitaia Observatory

163*

75

1985

Equal lowest

Whakatane

135

59

1957

Lowest

Taumarunui

111

58

1947

Lowest

New Plymouth Airport

165

71

1972

Lowest

Paraparaumu Airport

135

60

1953

Lowest

Wellington, Kelburn

153

62

1928

2nd lowest

Hokitika Airport

123

63

1964

Lowest

Nelson Airport

164

68

1948

Lowest

Extremely wet in the North Island, dry in Canterbury

Rainfall was at least double normal throughout much of the North Island, and more than 300 percent (3 times) of normal in parts of north Taranaki and eastern Bay of Plenty. It was also wet with at least 120 percent of normal rainfall in Nelson, Buller, Westland, the Southern Alps, and Central Otago. Contrasting below average rainfall occurred in parts of Canterbury and Southland where totals were 75 percent or less than average.

Near or record high December rainfall was recorded at:

Location

December rainfall (mm)

Percentage of normal

Year records began

Comments

Cape Reinga

172

280

1919

2nd highest

Kaitaia Observatory

180

215

1985

2nd highest

Kerikeri

235

241

1935

Highest

Kerikeri Airport

270

247

1978

Highest

Great Barrier Island

182

226

1977

3rd highest

Manukau Heads

174

207

1935

2nd highest

Whitianga Airport

296

282

1987

2nd highest

Whakatane

239

286

1992

Very high

Motu

449

261

1990

Highest

Port Taharoa

225

238

1973

2nd highest

New Plymouth Airport

346

318

1944

2nd highest

Taumarunui

308

225

1913

2nd highest

Turangi

314

246

1968

Highest

Castlepoint

165

258

1902

3rd highest

East Taratahi

137

253

1972

Highest

Hicks Bay

305

340

1990

2nd highest

Napier Airport

188

254

1950

2nd highest

Napier, Nelson Park

172

259

1870

2nd highest

Whakatu

143

467

1982

Highest

Mahia

165

255

1990

Highest

Wanganui

173

224

1890

2nd highest

Wellington Airport

134

181

1960

2nd highest

Lake Rotoiti

324

220

1933

Highest

Reefton

335

197

1904

2nd highest

Unusually warm nights in the North Island

Mean temperatures were at least 1.0°C above normal throughout much of the North Island, as well as Buller, Westland, Fiordland, Marlborough and Nelson, due to persistent cloud and moist northerlies keeping overnight temperatures well above average. Mean temperatures were at 0.5 to 0.9°C above average in most other regions, but near average in Central Otago.

Near or record high mean December temperatures were recorded at:

Location

Mean temperature

Departure (°C)

Records began

Comments

Kaitaia Observatory

19.0

+1.2

1985

2nd highest

Warkworth

18.5

+1.6

1972

Highest

Tauranga Airport

19.0

+1.6

1913

3rd highest

Whakatane Airport

19.0

+2.0

1974

Highest

Auckland Airport

19.4

+1.4

1962

Equal highest

Pukekohe

18.6

+1.7

1970

2nd highest

Hamilton Airport

18.5

+2.0

1970

Highest

New Plymouth Airport

17.7

+1.6

1944

Equal highest

Napier Airport

19.1

+1.6

1973

2nd highest

Palmerston North Airport

17.7

+1.7

1962

3rd equal highest

Levin

17.8

+1.8

1895

2nd equal highest

Normanby

17.1

+1.8

1977

Highest

Wanganui

18.4

+1.6

1937

3rd highest

Westport

16.5

+1.5

1937

2nd equal highest

Raoul Island

22.7

+2.1

1940

Highest

Chatham Islands

16.2

+2.5

1956

Highest

Near or record high mean daily minimum December temperatures were recorded at:

Location

Mean daily minimum temperature

Departure from normal (°C)

Year records began

Comments

Kaitaia Observatory

15.7

+2.2

1985

Highest

Kerikeri

15.0

+2.1

1945

Highest

Whangarei Airport

16.0

+2.2

1967

Highest

Auckland, Henderson

15.3

+2.7

1985

Highest

Auckland, Owairaka

16.1

+2.3

1949

Highest

Auckland Airport

16.5

+2.1

1962

Highest

Pukekohe

15.4

+2.8

1970

Highest

Paeroa

15.1

+2.7

1947

2nd highest

Tauranga Airport

15.7

+2.7

1913

Highest

Hamilton, Ruakura

14.6

+3.2

1906

Highest

Hamilton Airport

14.7

+4.1

1970

Highest

Whakatane Airport

15.5

+3.3

1974

Highest

Rotorua Airport

14.3

+3.0

1964

Highest

Taupo Airport

12.9

+2.6

1976

Highest

Taumarunui

13.9

+2.8

1947

Highest

New Plymouth Airport

15.0

+2.9

1944

Highest

East Taratahi

12.2

+2.8

1972

Highest

Gisborne Airport

15.2

+3.1

1905

Highest

Napier Airport

15.0

+2.4

1973

Equal highest

Napier, Nelson Park

15.8

+2.6

1870

3rd highest

Whakatu

14.1

+1.9

1982

Highest

Paraparaumu Airport

14.6

+2.5

1953

Highest

Palmerston North Airport

13.9

+2.7

1962

Highest

Levin

14.4

+2.4

1895

Highest

Wellington Airport

14.8

+1.6

1962

2nd highest

Normanby

13.9

+2.8

1977

Highest

Wanganui

15.0

+2.2

1937

Highest

Westport Airport

13.5

+2.2

1937

2nd highest

Hokitika Airport

12.6

+2.1

1963

3rd highest

Nelson Airport

14.1

+2.4

1943

Highest

Tara Hills

9.6

+2.0

1949

Highest

Dunedin Airport

10.4

+2.1

1962

2nd highest

Raoul Island

19.8

+1.7

1940

3rd highest

Chatham Islands

13.8

+2.9

1956

Highest

Highlights

Extreme temperatures

  • The highest air temperature for the month was 32.0°C, recorded at Darfield, on the 1st. The highest December air temperature on record in the Darfield area is 35.8°C. Wanganui experienced an extended heat-wave at the start of the month, with maximum temperatures exceeding 25.0°C on five days from 1 through 6 December.
  • The lowest air temperature for the month was –0.9°C, recorded at Wreys Bush, Southland on the 9th. The lowest December air temperature on record in the Wreys Bush area is –1.0°C.

Significant rainfall events and flooding

  • High rainfall occurred throughout Northland on the 2nd. The Awanui River peaked 7 metres above normal blocking off parts of SH 12 due to flooding.

Hail

  • Hail lay 4 cm deep in parts of Rangiora following a convectional storm during the afternoon of the 28th.

Snow

  • Mt Ruapehu received an unseasonal dusting of snow on the 30th.

For further information, please contact:

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

Stuart Burgess – Climatologist NIWA National Climate Centre – Wellington Phone +64 4 386 0569 [email protected]

Geoff Baird – Communications Manager Phone +64 4 386 0543 [email protected]

Acknowledgement of NIWA as the source is required.

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