- Rainfall: Extremely high in Bay of Plenty and Taupo; normal or below normal in many other regions
- Soil moisture: Early significant deficits in eastern areas of the country, spreading to some other parts of North Island later
- Temperature: Above average overall with very hot conditions in central Otago on a few days
- Sunshine: Sunny in Wellington, Westland, and coastal areas of Otago and Southland
Summer rainfall was extremely high in parts of Bay of Plenty and Taupo. Many locations within these regions recorded more than 150 percent of (one and a half times) normal rainfall, and totals of 400 to 550 mm during the season. Rainfall was also well above normal in Wanganui, and parts of Southland. Rainfall was near or below normal in many other regions. Early significant soil moisture deficits developed in eastern areas of both islands, and spread in late summer to Northland, Auckland and Manawatu. The national average temperature of 17.2 °C was 0.6 °C above normal and the highest for summer since 1998/99, mainly due to an unusually warm December. Sunshine hours were above normal for summer in Wellington, Westland, and coastal areas of Otago and Southland. The overall summer climate pattern was mixed, being dominated by more frequent northerlies in December, westerlies over the South Island in January, and south easterlies in the northeast of the North Island in February.
Major Highlights
- The highest temperature recorded during the summer was 36.1 °C recorded at Alexandra on 29 January. The lowest temperature for the summer was -1.9 °C at The Chateau, Mt. Ruapehu on 24 February.
- There were at least three high rainfall/flood-producing events – one with damaging winds in the Coromandel, Thames/Hauraki Plains over 24-25 January, another in Rotorua on 28 January, and another in Bay of Plenty over 8-11 February.
- A mix of thunderstorms, damaging hail and a tornado affected Southland on 5 December, thunderstorms and a tornado in Taranaki on 6 December, tornado-like winds and intense hail in Southland on 15 December, thunderstorms and damaging hail in Canterbury on 5 February, and tornado-like winds in Taranaki on 8 February.
- On 2-4 January, winds gusted to 165 km/h from the northwest at Mt. Kaukau; gales buffeted Wellington. Gales also blew in Southland.
Of the five main centres, Hamilton was the wettest, and Wellington the sunniest. Rainfall was above average in Hamilton, below average in Auckland, and near average in the three other main centres. Temperatures were above average in all five main centres. Summer sunshine hours were above average in Wellington and Dunedin, near average in Auckland and Christchurch, and below average in Hamilton.
Rainfall
Summer rainfall was approximately 150 percent of normal in Bay of Plenty, Taupo, Wanganui, and parts of Southland. Rainfall was also above normal in parts of Coromandel, Waikato, south Taranaki, Nelson, and north Otago. In contrast, rainfall was below normal in parts of Auckland, north Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, the Kaikoura Coast, inland south Canterbury, and Central Otago.
Temperature
Seasonal mean temperatures were above average throughout much of New Zealand, especially Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, central Wairarapa, Horowhenua, Nelson, coastal Otago, and Southland.
Sunshine
Sunshine hours were above normal in Wellington, Westland, and coastal areas of Otago and Southland, and below normal in Waikato.
Full report
- Full details of the Summer 2005-06 Climate Summary
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.