Monday 1 July 2002
One of the warmest Junes on record despite a period of freezing wintry conditions and record low temperatures in the South Island Wet in many regions, especially parts of Coromandel and the West Coast Below average rainfall in Gisborne Sunny in parts of the east, very cloudy in northern and western regions Floods and heavy snowfall
In spite of the weather extremes of heavy snowfall and severe frost in the South Island and torrential rain in both islands, the month of June was about as warm as it gets at that time of year on the basis of historical records going back to the early 1850s.
The national average mean temperature of 9.8°C was 1.5°C above normal – almost the same as June of 1916 and third only to the same month in 1971 at 10.3°C. Statistics, however, show the extent of climate and weather extremes.
- Napier recorded six days with maximum temperatures of 20.0°C or more.
- Tara Hills, Omarama, north Otago, recorded a new June record low New Zealand air temperature of minus 19.1°C on June 20th.
- Extremely high June rainfall occurred in parts of Coromandel, the Southern Alps, Fiordland, Southern Lakes and north Otago.
- Mid-month snowfall to sea level – worst in mid Canterbury for many years.
- Taumarunui had only 27 hours of bright sunshine for June (38% of normal) – a new New Zealand record for June.
- Dunedin recorded 116 hours of bright sunshine (128% of normal) – 4th highest on record.
Like May, overall temperatures were well above average, even summer-like, on a few days. However, cold conditions produced severe snowstorms in Canterbury on the 17th and 18th. The month’s other major weather events were associated with a “weather bomb” – a rapidly deepening sub-tropical depression that tracked south, passing over the lower North Island on the 21st. This resulted in high winds, high rainfall and flooding in many northern and western areas, especially severe in the Coromandel.
It was extremely mild in the North Island, with mean temperatures 2.0°C or more above average in many areas. The majority of the North Island sites from which temperature measurements are available experienced either their warmest or second warmest June on record. Although it was also warmer than usual over much of the South Island, it was very cold in eastern regions from the 15th to 22nd of June due to heavy snowfall and extreme frosts. A significant range in temperatures occurred during the month. In Napier there were six days between the 8th and 18th when temperatures exceeded 20.0°C (five more than average). In contrast, a new June record low New Zealand air temperature of minus 19.1°C occurred at Tara Hills, Omarama on the 20th (where overnight minimum air temperatures were below minus 12°C from 19 to 23 June).
It was extremely wet, rainfall being at least 200 percent (twice) of average in parts of Coromandel, as well as the West Coast, central Marlborough, Southern Lakes and much of Otago. It was also wetter than average in much of Northland, Auckland, Thames and most western regions from Taranaki to Southland, including Wellington, Nelson and Canterbury.
Sunshine totals were much lower than average over the northern half of the North Island and most western regions. Values were a little more than 50 percent (half) of average at some locations. Some eastern regions experienced much more sunshine than normal due to sheltering from the prevailing westerlies.
June’s climate pattern was dominated by many deep depressions (‘lows’) passing south of the South Island. Westerlies were very much more frequent than normal over the whole of New Zealand. Only June 1986 and June 1993 were more westerly (records began in 1966).
Extremely mild overall, despite freezing wintry conditions in the Eastern South Island
Mean temperatures were at least 2.0°C above normal throughout much of the North Island and at least 1.0°C above normal over much of the South Island. However, they were near average in Fiordland and north Canterbury.
Near or record high mean June temperatures were recorded at:
| Location | Mean temperature | Departure (°C) | Records began | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaitaia Observatory | 14.5 | +1.8 | 1942 | Highest |
| Kerikeri EWS | 13.8 | +1.8 | 1982 | Highest |
| Whangarei Airport | 14.3 | +2.1 | 1968 | Highest |
| Warkworth | 13.5 | +2.4 | 1972 | Highest |
| Auckland, Henderson | 13.6 | +2.8 | 1986 | Highest |
| Auckland, Owairaka | 14.0 | +2.6 | 1949 | Highest |
| Auckland, Mangere | 13.4 | +2.0 | 1863 | 2nd highest |
| Auckland Airport | 13.8 | +2.5 | 1962 | Highest |
| Paeroa | 13.2 | +3.3 | 1947 | Highest |
| Tauranga Airport | 12.9 | +2.6 | 1913 | Highest |
| Te Puke | 11.8 | +1.8 | 1973 | Highest |
| Whakatane Airport | 11.3 | +2.0 | 1975 | Highest |
| Rotorua Airport | 10.5 | +2.2 | 1886 | Highest |
| Taupo Airport | 9.8 | +2.6 | 1976 | Highest |
| Pukekohe | 13.3 | +2.5 | 1971 | Highest |
| Hamilton, Ruakura | 12.7 | +3.5 | 1907 | Highest |
| Hamilton Airport | 12.0 | +2.7 | 1971 | Highest |
| Taumaranui | 9.9 | +1.9 | 1947 | 2nd highest |
| New Plymouth Airport | 12.8 | +2.7 | 1944 | Highest |
| Turangi | 9.5 | +2.3 | 1968 | Highest |
| East Taratahi | 9.9 | +2.4 | 1906 | 2nd highest |
| Gisborne Airport | 12.4 | +2.5 | 1905 | Equal highest |
| Napier Airport | 11.8 | +2.3 | 1974 | Highest |
| Napier, Nelson Park | 12.3 | +2.7 | 1870 | 2nd highest |
| Whakatu | 10.8 | +1.6 | 1905 | Equal highest |
| Paraparaumu Airport | 11.4 | +2.2 | 1949 | Highest |
| Palmerston North Airport | 10.9 | +2.4 | 1962 | 2nd highest |
| Wellington, Kelburn | 10.9 | +1.6 | 1863 | 2nd equal highest |
| Wellington Airport | 12.2 | +2.1 | 1962 | Highest |
| Wallaceville | 10.5 | +2.2 | 1940 | Highest |
| Normanby | 12.0 | +2.6 | 1977 | Highest |
| Wanganui, Spriggens Pk. | 12.4 | +2.4 | 1937 | Highest |
| Takaka, Kotinga | 10.5 | +2.1 | 1986 | Highest |
| Farewell Spit | 12.5 | +2.7 | 1971 | Highest |
| Arapito | 10.7 | +1.6 | 1978 | Highest |
| Hokitika | 9.2 | +1.4 | 1867 | 3rd highest |
| Motueka, Riwaka | 9.6 | +2.0 | 1956 | 2nd highest |
| Appleby | 9.8 | +1.7 | 1863 | 2nd highest |
| Nelson Airport | 10.4 | +3.0 | 1943 | Highest |
| Blenheim Research | 10.5 | +2.7 | 1932 | Highest |
| Blenheim Airport | 9.5 | +2.0 | 1941 | Equal highest |
| Kaikoura | 10.4 | +1.8 | 1964 | 2nd equal highest |
| Dunedin Airport | 7.1 | +1.9 | 1963 | 2nd highest |
| Gore | 6.6 | +1.8 | 1972 | Highest |
| Invercargill Airport | 6.9 | +1.3 | 1865 | 4th highest |
Mean daily minimums were more than 4°C above average in parts of Auckland, the Thames Valley, and Waikato.
Wet in many regions, especially parts of Coromandel and the West Coast; below average rainfall in Gisborne
Rainfall was 200 percent or more of average in parts of Coromandel, central Marlborough, the Southern Alps, Fiordland, Southern Lakes and much of Otago. It was also wet, with rainfall at least 125 percent of average in much of Northland, Auckland, Thames and most western regions from Taranaki to Southland, including Wellington, Nelson and Canterbury.
Near or record high June rainfall was recorded at:
| Location | June rainfall (mm) | Percentage of normal | Year Records began | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paraparaumu Airport | 182 | 182 | 1945 | 3rd highest |
| Westport Airport | 356 | 180 | 1944 | 3rd highest |
| Arapito | 362 | 183 | 1978 | 2nd highest |
| Hokitika Airport | 458 | 207 | 1964 | 2nd highest |
| Arthurs Pass | 921 | 297 | 1917 | Highest |
| Mt Cook | 590 | 220 | 1928 | 3rd highest |
| Haast | 433 | 214 | 1941 | 2nd highest |
| Milford Sound | 848 | 207 | 1930 | 3rd highest |
| Ranfurly | 74 | 304 | 1943 | 3rd highest |
| Wanaka Airport | 112 | 192 | 1992 | Highest |
| Queenstown | 165 | 225 | 1872 | 4th highest |
| Lauder | 67 | 216 | 1982 | Highest |
Rainfall was 75 percent or less of normal in Gisborne. Many other regions experienced near average rainfall.
Sunny in the east, very low totals in northern and western regions
Sunshine and solar radiation totals were at least 120 percent of average in coastal Otago, and at least 105 percent of average in Southland and around Christchurch. Sunshine hours were less than 75 percent of average over much of the northern half of the North Island and in most western regions.
Near or record June sunshine hours were recorded at:
| Location | June sunshine (hrs) | Percentage of normal | Year Records began | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whenuapai | 62 | 57 | 1938 | 2nd lowest |
| Taumaranui | 27 | 38 | 1947 | Lowest |
| New Plymouth | 84 | 72 | 1953 | 3rd lowest |
| Dunedin, Musselburgh | 116 | 128 | 1948 | 4th highest |
Near or record low June solar radiation was recorded at:
| Location | June Solar radiation (MJ/m2/day) | Percentage of normal | Year Records began | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pukekohe | 4.7 | 74 | 1987 | Lowest |
| Tauranga Airport | 5.3 | 76 | 1990 | Lowest |
| Rotorua Airport | 5.1 | 74 | 1969 | Lowest |
| Westport Airport | 3.5 | 73 | 1992 | 2nd lowest |
Highlights
Extreme temperatures
- The highest air temperature for the month was 21.7°C recorded at Rangiora on the 13th and Nelson Park, Napier on the 18th. The highest June air temperatures on record at Rangiora and Nelson Park are 22.9°C and 23.3°C respectively.
- The lowest air temperature for the month was –19.1°C, recorded at Tara Hills, Omarama, on the 20th. This is the lowest June air temperature on record at Tara Hills in measurements that commenced in 1950, as well as breaking the previous New Zealand June record of –15.6°C set at Tekapo in 1927 and Manorburn Dam in 1941. Extremely low June 2002 minimum air temperatures were measured at:
| Location | Minimum temperature (°C) | Date of occurrence | Records began | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haast | -5.1 | 26th | 1950 | Lowest |
| Fairlie | -14.0 | 20th | 1925 | Equal lowest |
| Twizel | -13.0 | 22nd | 1972 | Lowest |
| Tara Hills | -19.1 | 20th | 1950 | Lowest |
| Ranfurly | -12.5 | 20th | 1975 | Lowest |
| Lauder | -15.4 | 22nd | 1982 | Lowest |
| Balclutha, Finegand | -7.5 | 23rd | 1965 | Lowest |
High rainfall
- 1 June, Bay of Islands High rainfall totalling 70–90 mm was recorded at sites in the Bay of Islands.
- 14 June, Granity High rainfall, 56 mm in 6 hours, with flooding and a landslide occurred in Granity, Westland.
- 17–18 June, Wellington Flooding, at least 1 m deep occurred near Melling Station, Lower Hutt, after a 12-hour period of heavy rainfall. Rainfall totalling 46 mm was measured in the 5 hours to 2 am on the 18th at Wallaceville. Slips occurred in other areas in the Wellington region.
-
18–20 June, Weather Bomb – Northland, Auckland and Thames–Coromandel Flooding and slips, with rainfall totalling 160 to 210 mm occurred throughout northern and eastern Northland, north Auckland and Coromandel over 18–20 June, with many areas in the Thames–Coromandel recording rainfall totals over 100 mm on the 20th. Thames Airfield recorded rainfall totalling 45 mm in the hour to 12.30 am 21 June. High easterly winds lashed Auckland, lifting some roofs. Peak wind gust of 124 km/hr was recorded at Musick Point.
A Civil Defence Emergency was declared in the northern Coromandel Peninsula, which was the worst affected area, with high winds damaging roofs, power cuts to thousands of homes, and severe floods isolating the region. The flooding was reported as a 150-year event, devastating many houses, leaving many without sewerage systems. The region was still cut off on 21 June. An elderly woman was swept away by flood-waters at Waiomu. Many residents were evacuated from Waikawau, Tapu, Tarau and Te Puru. A state of emergency was also declared in the town of Putararu, due to severe flooding affecting water supplies. More than 20,000 Waikato houses were without electricity.
- 28 June, Granity High rainfall, totalling 132 mm in 15 hours, drenched Granity in Westland for the second time this month, accompanied by thunderstorms. Eight homes were temporarily evacuated due to landslides and flooding. There were three major landslips on the road between Westport and Greymouth.
Major snowfall 17–18 June
- Snowfall occurred in high country areas of Canterbury and Otago on 15 June and again between 17 and 21 June. However, heavy snow occurred throughout mid-Canterbury and inland Otago over 17–18 June, being 10–40 cm deep in many areas. Christchurch airport was closed due to snowfall settling over that period and SH1 was closed due to snow from Dunsandel to Temuka for the first time in 26 years, leaving hundreds of travellers stranded. In and near Ashburton, powerlines failed due to the weight of snow leaving more than 4000 homes without power. Hundreds of rural people were also affected, isolated in their houses. The Milford road and high-country pass roads were also affected. Snowfall lay 1 m deep on the 22nd and 23rd at Mt Cook Village.
Waterspout 15 June
- Three houses on the Kapiti Coast lost their roofs in high winds associated with a waterspout that passed over the street at 12.30 am.
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.