June 2003

Tuesday, 1 July 2003
Temperatures: Warmest June on record
Rainfall: Very dry in Canterbury, and significantly below average rainfall in parts of Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay; extremely wet in Nelson with above average rainfall in all western regions from Waikato to Fiordland
Sunshine: Sunny in most eastern regions, below average totals in the west of the North Island from Northland to Manawatu
June was the warmest ever recorded in New Zealand since records began over 150 years ago, with mean temperatures 2.0°C above normal.

Tuesday, 1 July 2003

Temperatures: Warmest June on record

Rainfall: Very dry in Canterbury, and significantly below average rainfall in parts of Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay; extremely wet in Nelson with above average rainfall in all western regions from Waikato to Fiordland

Sunshine: Sunny in most eastern regions, below average totals in the west of the North Island from Northland to Manawatu

June was the warmest ever recorded in New Zealand since records began over 150 years ago, with mean temperatures 2.0°C above normal. They reached more than 3°C above normal in some inland sheltered areas of the eastern South Island. It was dry and sunny in the east. Rainfall was extremely low for much of June throughout Canterbury. June was wetter than average in most western regions. June climate patterns were associated with warmer than normal seas and stronger than normal northwesterly winds in our region. The wind patterns were brought about by stronger than average anticyclones (‘highs’) east of the North Island and depressions (‘lows’) well southwest of New Zealand in the Southern Ocean.

Highlights:

  • June 2003 temperatures ranged from a high of 22.3°C, recorded at North Clyde, Wairoa on the 6th, to a low of –8.8°C, recorded at Hanmer Forest on the 18th. The month had extended periods of exceptionally warm weather, but also a few nights of severe overnight ground frosts in the South Island, five heavy rainfall events, a few producing flooding, and also a tornado on the West Coast. There were high winds on several days.
  • The four main centres were all very warm, with Christchurch being exceptionally dry for much of the month.

Temperatures

Mean temperatures were very much above average throughout much of New Zealand, and 3.0°C or more above average in some inland sheltered areas of the eastern South Island. The June national average temperature of 10.4°C was 2.0°C above normal, the warmest since reliable measurements commenced in the 1850s. Only June 1971 (10.2°C) was anywhere near as warm. Above average sea surface temperatures around much of New Zealand, especially to the north and west, contributed to the anomalously warm June land temperatures.

Rainfall

Rainfall was less than 50 percent (half) of average throughout much of Canterbury (despite wet weather on the 30th). It was also drier than average in many other eastern regions from Gisborne to coastal Otago. Rainfall was also less than 75 percent (three-quarters) of average in eastern Northland and much of Coromandel. Rainfall was exceptionally high in Nelson, and above average in all western regions from coastal Waikato to Fiordland, as well as parts of north and west Otago.

Sunshine

Sunshine hours were above average in most eastern regions from Gisborne to Southland, with extremely high June totals in eastern Otago. Totals were below average in the north and west of the North Island.

Warmest June in over 150 years

Mean temperatures were at least 2.0°C above average throughout much of New Zealand, and 3.0°C or more above average in some inland sheltered areas of the eastern South Island. Mean temperatures were 1.0–1.9°C above average in Northland, Buller, Fiordland, and coastal areas of south Canterbury and Otago.

Near or record high North Island mean June temperatures were recorded at:

Location Mean temperature Departure (°C) Records began Comments
Kerikeri 13.5 +1.5 1945 3rd highest
Whangarei Airport 14.0 +1.7 1968 3rd highest
Warkworth 12.9 +1.8 1972 2nd highest
Auckland, Henderson 12.4 +1.6 1986 3rd equal highest
Auckland, Owairaka 13.2 +1.9 1949 Well above average
Auckland, Mangere 13.5 +2.2 1853 Equal highest
Auckland Airport 13.1 +1.8 1962 Well above average
Pukekohe 12.8 +2.1 1971 2nd equal highest
Hamilton, Ruakura 11.6 +2.3 1907 2nd highest
Hamilton Airport 11.0 +1.7 1971 3rd highest
Paeroa 12.2 +2.3 1947 3rd equal highest
Tauranga Airport 12.5 +2.2 1913 2nd highest
Te Puke 11.5 +1.5 1973 2nd highest
Whakatane Airport 11.2 +2.0 1975 2nd highest
Rotorua Airport 10.2 +2.0 1964 3rd highest
Taupo Airport 9.5 +2.3 1976 2nd highest
Taumarunui 9.8 +1.8 1947 3rd highest
New Plymouth Airport 12.2 +2.1 1944 3rd highest
Turangi 9.4 +2.2 1968 2nd highest
Ohakune 8.1 +2.3 1994 2nd highest
Hicks Bay 13.7 +1.8 1991 Highest
Gisborne Airport 12.1 +2.2 1905 2nd highest
Mahia 12.8 +1.6 1991 Highest
Napier Airport 12.1 +2.6 1974 Highest
Napier, Nelson Park 12.4 +2.9 1870 2nd highest
Castlepoint 12.6 +1.8 1973 Highest
East Taratahi 10.0 +2.0 1906 Highest
Palmerston N. Airport 11.1 +2.7 1962 Equal highest
Levin 11.6 +2.3 1896 Equal highest
Paraparaumu Airport 12.2 +3.0 1953 Highest
Wallaceville 11.2 +3.0 1940 Highest
Wellington, Kelburn 11.6 +2.3 1862 Highest
Wellington Airport 12.4 +2.3 1962 Highest
Normanby 10.8 +1.4 1977 2nd highest
Wanganui 12.0 +2.1 1937 3rd highest

Near or record high South Island mean June temperatures were recorded at:

Location Mean temperature Departure (°C) Records began Comments
Farewell Spit 12.5 +2.8 1971 Equal highest
Milford Sound 7.7 +2.0 1935 2nd highest
Puysegur Point 9.7 +1.3 1978 Highest
Nelson Airport 9.7 +2.3 1943 3rd highest
Nelson, Appleby 10.2 +2.2 1980 2nd highest
Blenheim Research 10.9 +3.1 1932 Highest
Blenheim Airport 9.9 +2.5 1941 Highest
Hanmer Forest 7.7 +3.2 1906 2nd highest
Kaikoura 11.4 +2.8 1964 Highest
Christchurch Airport 8.0 +1.9 1954 Equal highest
Christchurch Gardens 8.7 +2.0 1864 3rd highest
Lincoln 8.9 +2.2 1864 Highest
Winchmore 9.1 +3.3 1950 Highest
Tara Hills, Omarama 6.1 +3.9 1950 Highest
Dunedin, Musselburgh 8.5 +1.4 1853 3rd highest
Manapouri Airport 5.8 +1.5 1992 Highest
Queenstown 7.1 +2.7 1872 Highest
Queenstown Airport 6.0 +2.6 1969 Highest
Lauder 6.0 +3.7 1982 Highest
Clyde 6.1 +2.2 1983 Equal highest
Ettrick 6.5 +1.5 1985 Highest
Gore 6.5 +1.8 1972 Equal highest
Invercargill Airport 7.6 +2.0 1948 Highest
Tiwai Point 8.7 +2.0 1970 Highest
Chatham Islands 10.1 +1.3 1957 3rd highest

Below average rainfall in the north and many eastern regions, especially Canterbury

High rainfall in Nelson and wetter in most western regions

Rainfall was less than 50 percent (half) of average throughout much of Canterbury, and less than 75 percent (three-quarters) of average in many other eastern regions from Gisborne to coastal Otago. Rainfall was also less than 75 percent (three-quarters) of average in eastern Northland and much of Coromandel.

Near record low June rainfall was recorded at:

Location June rainfall (mm) Percentage of normal Year records began Comments
Le Bons Bay 25 26 1984 2nd lowest

It was extremely wet in Nelson with rainfall totals at least 200 percent (twice) average. Rainfall was at least 125 percent (one and a quarter) of average in all western regions, from Waikato to Kapiti, and at least 150 percent (one and a half) of average in the west of the South Island from Buller to Fiordland, as well as parts of north and west Otago.

Near or record high June rainfall was recorded at:

Location June rainfall (mm) Percentage of normal Year records began Comments
Nelson Airport 198 249 1941 Highest
Nelson, Appleby 249 293 1932 Highest
Reefton 357 207 1961 2nd highest

Very sunny in most eastern regions

Sunshine and solar radiation totals were well above average (about 110 percent of normal or more) in most eastern regions from Gisborne to Southland. Below normal sunshine occurred in the north and west of the North Island with near normal sunshine totals were recorded in most other regions.

Well above average June sunshine hours were recorded at:

Location June sunshine (hours) Percentage of normal Year records began Comments
Wellington, Kelburn 119 120 1928 Well above average
Nelson Airport 160 112 1949 Above average
Dunedin, Musselburgh 119 132 1948 2nd highest on record
Invercargill Airport 97 130 1932 Well above average

June climate in the four main centres

June temperatures were above average in all the main centres. Christchurch City was the driest, receiving only 19 mm. The other main centres had near, or below average rainfall. Dunedin had its 2nd sunniest June on record. It was also sunnier than average in Wellington and Christchurch, but rather cloudy in Auckland.

  Auckland Wellington Christchurch Dunedin
June mean temp. (°C) 13.6 11.6 8.7 8.5
Dep. from normal (°C) +2.2 +2.3 +2.0 +1.4
  Equal highest Highest 3rd highest 2nd highest

June rainfall (mm) 97 144 19* 45
% of normal 75 104 38 64
  Below average Near average Well below average Below average

June sunshine (hours) 81 119 133 119
% of normal 74 120 111 132
  Well below average Well above average Above average 2nd highest

* Airport

Highlights and extreme events

  • June 2003 temperatures ranged from a high of 22.3°C, recorded at North Clyde, Wairoa on the 6th, to a low of –8.8°C, recorded at Hanmer Forest on the 18th.
  • The first eight days of June were exceptionally warm, with maximum temperatures exceeding 20°C somewhere in New Zealand on most days, especially in eastern regions.
  • Severe overnight ground frosts occurred in many eastern South Island areas after the 10th, with –15.9°C recorded in Mt Cook Village on the 18th. Christchurch Airport recorded grass minima of –10.4°C on the 17th, and –10.7°C on the 26th, both breaking the previous all-time record there, in measurements that began in 1954.
  • High rainfall occurred in Manawatu and Nelson on the 3rd, was widespread over much of the North Island over the 8th and 9th (with surface flooding in Auckland and Hamilton) and again between the 15th and 17th. Floods and land slips occurred in the Golden Bay–Nelson region during high rainfall (100 mm or more) over the 28th and 29th (207 mm at Takaka and 170 mm at Appleby).
  • Southerly gales buffeted Wellington over the 9th and 10th of June, and periods of wintry southwesterlies affected the lower South Island about the middle of the month and during the last week of June.
  • High winds associated with a tornado resulted in property damage in Greymouth on the 17th.
  • High rainfall occurred in Wellington on the 30th, with surface flooding in places.

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.

In this issue