February 2009: Hot at the beginning of the month then a cool change; wet for most of country except in the southwest; below normal sunshine for most areas
- Temperature: Above average over most of the North Island; below average for much of Canterbury, Otago and Southland.
- Rainfall: Above normal over the North Island and east of the South Island; below normal for Fiordland and parts of Southland.
- Sunshine: Well below normal for eastern Northland and Auckland, Marlborough, Canterbury and Otago; normal or below normal elsewhere.
Temperatures flip-flopped from above average over the first 12 days of February (which included record high temperatures at several locations) to below average for the remainder of the month. Heatwave conditions were experienced over the country from 7 to 12 February when temperatures of 34°C or more occurred in many locations on each day. Averaged over the whole month, February temperatures were above average (by between 0.5 and 1.5°C) north of a line extending from Wanganui to Hastings while much of Canterbury, Otago and Southland experienced below or well below average temperatures (temperature departures from normal of between -0.5 and -2.0°C). Temperatures in the remainder of the country were near normal for February. The national average temperature of 17.5°C was 0.3°C below the long-term average for February.
Rainfall was more than double (greater than 200% of normal) in Northland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu, Wellington, Marlborough, Canterbury and Otago. Most of the remainder of the North Island received normal or above normal (120 – 150% or normal) rainfall for the month – the majority coming in three storms on the 10th, 20th and 27-28th. Soil moisture levels for most of the country have returned to near-normal levels as at the end of February. Rainfall was below normal in Fiordland and parts of Southland.
Most of New Zealand received below normal (between 75 and 90% or normal) sunshine for the month, particularly eastern Northland and Auckland, Marlborough, Canterbury and Otago. Parts of the Bay of Plenty, northern Taranaki and West Coast received near normal sunshine hours.
The most significant extreme weather event to impact on the country in February was on the 20th when severe rain caused surface flooding in parts of Wellington, Levin, and Palmerston North, and caused raw sewage to overflow into central Wellington, the harbour, and Lyall Bay. In Tauranga, the severe rain caused the postponement of the Kapa Haka festival, the first time this had happened in 36 years. In South Canterbury and north Otago, surface flooding affected SH1 and SH8, and closed some minor roads. Another significant rainfall event occurred on 27-28 February when heavy rainfall caused the postponement of several North Island events.
While the first two weeks of February were very warm, associated with frequent warm north-westerly wind flows onto the country, the unsettled weather for the remainder of the month resulted from higher than normal pressure to the southwest of the country and more ‘lows’ (depressions) than normal to the east of New Zealand. This resulted in more southerly airflows onto the South Island than normal for this time of year, which contributed to the cool temperatures in the south.
Further highlights
- The highest temperature during February 2009 was 38.0°C recorded at Culverden on the 8th (the highest February maximum temperature for this location). The lowest temperature during February was recorded at Ranfurly on the 14th, where the minimum temperature was -1.0°C.
- The highest 1-day rainfall total for February was 158 mm recorded at Kaikohe on the 27th (the second highest February 1-day total for this location, since records began in 1956).
- The wind gust of 183 km/hr recorded at Southwest Cape on the 8th was the highest gust for February for New Zealand.
- Of the six main centres, Tauranga was the warmest, wettest and sunniest and Christchurch was the driest.
Full report
Full details of the February 2009 Climate Summary
Climate statistics tables
Climate statistics February 2009
For further information, please contact:
Dr Andrew Tait – Climate Scientist NIWA National Climate Centre – Wellington Phone +64 4 386 0562 Mobile +64 27 327 7948 [email protected]
Dr James Renwick – Principal Scientist NIWA National Climate Centre – Wellington Phone +64 4 386 0343 Mobile +64 21 178 5550 [email protected]
Acknowledgement of NIWA as the source is required.