Sunday, 12 September 2004
Temperature: A very warm start, followed by colder months of July and August Sunshine: Extremely sunny in the north and west of the North Island and sunnier than normal in the south and east of the South Island Rainfall: Above average in Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, and Fiordland; below average in Northland and the Kaikoura Coast
For many, winter began with a very mild June, followed by a colder frosty July and then a cold August. June was the 5th warmest on record, and the July-August national average temperature of 7.6°C (0.8°C below normal) was the lowest since 1986. Record winter sunshine occurred in parts of Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Tekapo. The season was sunnier than average throughout much of the north and west of the North Island, and the south and east of the South Island. Winter rainfall was above average for the season in Bay of Plenty (after the severe flood producing event in July), Gisborne, and Fiordland, and below average in Northland and along the Kaikoura Coast. Winter’s climate was dominated by more frequent northwesterlies in June, anticyclones (“highs”) in July, and extended periods of very cold southerlies in August, producing an overall pattern of stronger westerly airflow, at times, over the country.
Highlights
- The highest winter 2004 temperature was 22.5°C, recorded at Darfield on 4 June. The lowest temperature for the season was -12.0°C, recorded at Fairlie on the 16 August.
- Significant weather events during the winter included at least three heavy hailstorms, a destructive tornado resulting in the death a woman and child in Taranaki, four damaging wind events, including the worst southerly storm to affect Wellington in over a decade on 17-18 August, at least three high rainfall-flood producing events, the worst being in eastern Bay of Plenty from 15-18 July, resulting in a state of emergency, with about 2000 people evacuated from their homes. Several periods of snowfall affecting motorists occurred on high-country roads during the winter, especially in the later half of August, with snowfall to near sea level from Southland to Canterbury on 15 August and again for several days from 22 August including sleet and hail in the south and east of the North Island.
- Of the four main centres Auckland’s winter sunshine hours were the highest in over 90 years of recording. Sunshine hours were also above normal in the other three centres. Rainfall was near average in Christchurch and below average in the other three centres. Temperatures were below average in Dunedin, and near average in the other centres.
Temperature
Seasonal temperatures were average in most regions, the winter national average temperature of 8.4°C being normal.
Sunshine
Sunshine totals were above normal throughout much of the north and west of the North Island, and the south and east of the South Island, especially Northland, Auckland, and inland south Canterbury. Totals were near average elsewhere.
Rainfall
Rainfall was 125 percent (one and a quarter) of the winter average in Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, and Fiordland, and less than 75 percent (three quarters) of average in Northland and along the Kaikoura Coast. The season’s rainfall was near average in other regions.
Full report
Full details of Winter 2004 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.