Monthly

Rainfall: Well below normal in most regions, flood producing rainfall in Northland
Soil moisture: Severe deficits in eastern regions from Gisborne to Otago, as well as Auckland, Waikato, Eastern Bay of Plenty, Wanganui, Manawatu, Wellington, and Nelson
Temperature: Above average in western and inland South Island regions, below average in many northern and eastern regions
Sunshine: Extremely sunny in the west of the South Island
February was very dry with 50 percent (half) or less of normal rainfall in many regions of New Zealand.

Rainfall: Below normal in many regions, areas of above normal rainfall in Northland, Bay of Plenty, Taupo, near East Cape, Wellington, and Nelson Soil moisture: Severe deficits in Auckland, Nelson, eastern regions from Gisborne to Marlborough, and Central Otago Temperature: Above average in the east of the North Island and on the South Island’s West Coast; below average in the east of the South Island Sunshine: Below normal in many regions, sunny in Southland
January was generally cloudy with low rainfall over much of New Zealand, and east-west temperature contrasts. Rainfall was below

Rainfall: Well below normal in the north of both islands; above normal in the east, especially Canterbury
Wind: More frequent cold southerlies
Temperature: One of the coldest Decembers in the last sixty years
Sunshine: Sunnier than normal in the north of both islands
December was unusually cool for the time of year, due to more frequent southerly winds. Temperatures were 2 to 3 °C below normal (making it coldest start to December for many years) throughout New Zealand during the first half of the month, with little change during the last two weeks.

Rainfall: Rather dry in eastern Northland and Gisborne; well above normal in the southwest of the North Island, and much of the South Island
Severe soil moisture deficits in Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay, significant deficits in other northern and eastern regions
Wind: Stormy westerlies over the South Island – especially mid-month
Temperature: Very warm in the east of the North Island, cold in the southwest of the South Island
Sunshine: Sunny in Gisborne, very cloudy in the west of the North Island
November was a month of much larger than normal contrasts in climate from west to east

Rainfall: Well above normal in Auckland, Wairarapa, Manawatu, and near Christchurch; below normal in Central and East Otago Significant soil moisture deficits continue in North and Central Otago; deficits developing in other eastern regions Wind: Much windier than average over the South Island and southern North Island Temperature: Average or below average in all regions Sunshine: Very sunny inland South Canterbury, East Otago, and Southland
October was another month of climate extremes. It was windier than usual over most of the South Island and southern half of the North Island.

Rainfall: Extremely low in the east from Wairarapa to Otago; above average in Fiordland and coastal Southland
Significant soil moisture deficits in Central Otago, deficits developing in other eastern regions
Temperature: Above average, especially in the east from Marlborough to Central Otago
Sunshine: sunny in Gisborne, Otago, and inland South Canterbury
Very windy in the south of the South Island
September was a month of climate extremes with record low rainfall and high mean temperatures at many locations.

Rainfall: in the south of the North Island, as well as Bay of Plenty, Taupo, Wanganui, and around Christchurch – landslips in several areas; dry over much of the South Island
Temperature: Near average in many regions; warmer in Hawke’s Bay, cooler in Otago
Sunshine: Extremely sunny in Otago and Southland
August rainfall was well above normal in southern parts of the North Island, including Wanganui, Kapiti, Wellington, Wairarapa, and also in Christchurch, with frequent landslips during the month.

Rainfall: Very wet in Wairarapa, Wanganui, and Wellington (landslips and severe flooding in some areas); extremely dry in parts of Northland, Auckland, and parts of Otago
Temperature: Above average in the east of the North Island, Marlborough, Nelson, and Southern Lakes; below average in Northland, inland South Canterbury, and North Otago
Sunshine: Very sunny in the north and west of the North Island, as well as inland South Canterbury and coastal Otago
July was warmer than June (by 0.8 °C).

Severe winter snowstorms hit Canterbury and the central North Island
Temperature: Coldest June since 1972
Sunshine: Well above average in western and southern regions; record June totals in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki and coastal Otago
Precipitation: Above average in many eastern regions, especially South Canterbury; below average in Bay of Plenty
Two severe winter snowstorms accompanied by bitterly cold conditions, and later heavy frost contributed to a particularly cold June. The national average temperature of 7.3 °C was 1.2 °C below the 1971-2000 normal.

Rainfall: Well above average in Northland, Auckland, and Canterbury; well below average parts of Otago
Temperature: Above average in northern and eastern parts of the North Island; below average in the east of the South Island
Sunshine: Very sunny in North Westland and Southland; rather cloudy in Gisborne and parts of Canterbury
May was very wet, with about 200 percent (twice) of normal rainfall, in parts of Northland and Auckland, and in many coastal areas of Canterbury.

Rainfall: Above average over much of New Zealand; Severe flooding in Otago and Coromandel
Soil moisture: Significant deficits eliminated in many areas
Temperature: Warm, highest nationally since 1981, and 8th highest in reliable records
Sunshine: Very sunny in Gisborne, rather cloudy in North Westland
Flood-producing rainfall events occurred in north and east Otago over 25/26 April, and in the Hauraki-Coromandel region over 27/28 April. As a result the month’s rainfall was very high in these regions.

Rainfall: Ex-tropical cyclone and high rainfall in Northland; low rainfall in Nelson and inland south Canterbury
Soil moisture: Deficits persist in Wanganui, Manawatu, and the north and east of the South Island
Temperature: Cold, especially in the South Island; lowest nationally since 1993
Sunshine: Sunny in the far north, and in Westland
March was cold with mean temperatures being the lowest since 1993. The national average temperature of 14.2 °C (almost 3.0 °C lower than in February) was 1.5 °C below the 1971-2000 normal.

Rainfall: High rainfall in eastern Bay of Plenty; extremely low in parts of Northland and Auckland
Soil moisture: Widespread deficits in the north of the North Island, and east of the South Island
Temperature: Near average in most regions; below average in Westland
Sunshine: Extremely sunny in the far north, normal or above normal elsewhere
A contrast of rainfall occurred in the North Island in February, with relatively high totals in eastern Bay of Plenty, and extremely low totals in parts of Northland and Auckland.

Temperature: Well below average in the west of the South Island; above average in the east of the North Island; Central Otago heat-wave toward the end of the month
Rainfall: Well above normal in Northland, inland Bay of Plenty, Taupo, and Southland; well below normal in Horowhenua
Soil moisture: Significant deficits in the east of the South Island, and southwest of the North Island
Sunshine: Normal or above throughout New Zealand
Western South Island temperatures plummeted in January, especially noticeable after one of the warmest Decembers on record.

Rainfall: Wet in the north and west of the North Island, especially Northland, western Bay of Plenty, and Wanganui; below normal in Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough
Soil moisture: Significant deficits in eastern regions from Hawke’s Bay to Otago, as well as Kapiti, Wellington and Nelson
Temperatures: Well above average in most places, third warmest December on record
Sunshine: Normal or below normal throughout New Zealand
Contrasts in rainfall occurred in December, with extremely high totals in northern parts of Northland, western Bay of Plenty, and Wanganui (highest in 115 years of

Rainfall: Well below normal in Taranaki, Kapiti, and Golden Bay, above normal in Coromandel, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, and the far southwest of the South Island
Soil moisture: Significant deficits in eastern regions from southern Wairarapa to Otago, as well as Kapiti, Wellington, and Nelson
Temperatures: Warm at first, much cooler during the last week
Sunshine: Very sunny in Northland, Westland, Nelson and Southland
Little rainfall occurred in many regions during the first two to three weeks of November.

Rainfall: Above average in the North Island, below average over much of the South Island
Soil moisture: Significant deficits developing in Marlborough, south Canterbury and much of Otago
Temperature: Above average in the northern half of the North Island, below average in eastern regions
Sunshine: Very sunny in Buller and Westland
Flooding: Significant in the Gisborne region
Contrasting rainfall patterns between the North and South Islands were a highlight in October.

Rainfall: Below average in many regions, especially Nelson
Temperature: Above average almost everywhere
Sunshine: Sunny over much of the North Island, below average sunshine in coastal Canterbury
Snowstorm: Significant snowfall event affects the eastern South Island
September was the third consecutive month with above average temperatures. September was also drier and sunnier than normal in many regions, especially during the first two weeks and in the closing days.

Temperature: One of the warmest Augusts on record; record breaking temperature extremes
Rainfall: Below average in many regions - especially in the east from Hawke’s Bay to Otago; above average in the far southwest of the South Island
Sunshine: Extremely sunny in the North Island, above average over much of the South Island
August was much drier, warmer, and much sunnier than normal over most of New Zealand. Many northern and eastern regions of the country recorded less than 50 percent (half) of their normal rainfall.

Temperature: Third warmest July on record
Rainfall: Below average in many eastern districts from Wairarapa to Otago, above average in the north of the North Island
Sunshine: Well above average in inland south Canterbury and coastal Otago, below average in Taranaki, Nelson, and Marlborough
July, for many, was very much warmer, and windier than normal. The national average temperature of 9.1 °C was 1.2 °C above normal, and the third highest for July in reliable records dating back to the mid 1860s. Only July 1998 (9.6 °C) and July 2000 (9.3 °C) were warmer.

Rainfall: Extremely dry in the east of the South Island, above normal in Hawke’s Bay and Southland
Sunshine: Well above average in the northern North Island, and the south and west of the South Island
Temperature: Below average in the south and east of the South Island, near normal in much of the North Island
June for many was drier and sunnier than normal. Rainfall was well below normal in Marlborough, Canterbury, and parts of Otago, where many locations recorded totals ranging from 5 to 15 mm, some sites experiencing their driest June since the mid 1980s.

Rainfall: Record high rainfall in the Bay of Plenty
Temperature: Well above average throughout much of the North lsland, warm also in the north of the South Island
Sunshine: Above average in the south of the South Island
While record rains lashed Bay of Plenty in May, the South Island received above average sunshine. The month was very warm over the North Island and northern South Island.

Rainfall: Below average over much of New Zealand, especially Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Nelson and central Marlborough, with significant soil moisture deficits still present
Sunshine: Above average in most regions, with records in Northland, Auckland, Nelson and Dunedin
Temperature: Cooler in the lower North lsland and much of the South Island
April 2005 was exceptionally dry and very sunny month overall, with less than 25 percent of normal rainfall and near or record low rainfall totals in parts of Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Nelson and central Marl

Rainfall: Above average over much of the North Island and the north and southwest of the South Island – below average in the north of the North Island
Temperature: Above average in the North Island – near average over much of the South Island
Sunshine: Above average in the north of both islands, including Buller and northern Westland – below average in the south of the North Island and southern South Island
Several destructive tornadoes
March 2005 was unsettled with above average rainfall over much of the North Island, especially Wairarapa.