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May's climate

New Zealand climate in May

Spartina eradication by spraying with herbicide. [Andrew Swales]

Rainfall (click to enlarge).

Temperature (click to enlarge).

During May, inland areas of much of New Zealand were very cold, especially at night. The national average temperature at 9.6 °C was 1.1 °C below average.

Record low rainfalls were recorded in Kapiti, Nelson and Marlborough, and the Tekapo basin; parts of Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay recorded twice the normal May rainfall. It was very sunny in the west of both islands; sunshine hours were below average in Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay.

For more information see www.niwascience.co.nz/ncc/cs/mclimsum_08_05

Soil moisture deficit

Taking a sediment sample. [Malcolm Green]

Soil moisture (click to enlarge).

Soil moisture levels remained high during May over much of the North Island and north of the South Island. A low moisture zone persisted in South Canterbury–North Otago.

River flows

River flows (click to enlarge).

River flows were near normal in the northern North Island, and below normal in most other places.

March to May: the climate we predicted and what happened

(click to enlarge).

Rainfall

Predicted: Near normal rainfall in most places, but possibly above normal in Northland.

Outcome: Above normal rainfall in parts of eastern and northern New Zealand, and parts of Otago. Drier than usual over much of the South Island.


(click to enlarge).

Air temperature

Predicted: Average or above average in western districts, near normal in the east.

Outcome: Most places had near average temperatures; cooler than normal in some eastern districts; warm spots in the west and north of the North Island and South Island.


(click to enlarge).

River flows

Predicted: Normal or below normal in the southwest North Island and the southern South Island, and normal elsewhere.

Outcome: Stream flows were above normal in the northern North Island, and below normal in most other locations.


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