August's climate

New Zealand climate in August

Well above normal rainfall for August was recorded in Marlborough (especially Kaikoura), Canterbury, Tasman, eastern Southland, and the majority of the North Island; Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, parts of the Southern Alps, Central Otago, and Fiordland were drier than normal.

Temperatures were average to above average in the North Island and average to below in the South Island. The national average temperature of 8.9 °C was 0.2 °C below average for August. 

For more information see www.niwascience.co.nz/ncc/cs/mclimsum_08_08

Soil moisture deficit Soil moisture (click to enlarge). Soil moisture levels were at field capacity over most of the country, apart from parts of inland Otago which had near normal deficits for the end of August.

River flows River flows (click to enlarge). River flows in the North Island, and northern and eastern South Island were higher than normal, but the Southern Alps south of Arthur’s Pass were drier than normal.

June to August: the climate we predicted and what happened

Rainfall

Predicted: Normal or above normal in the north and east of the North Island; normal or below normal in the east of the South Island;normal elsewhere.

Outcome: Above normal in the northand west of the North Island, and the north of the South Island; normal or below normal elsewhere.

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Air temperature

Predicted: Above average in the North Island, average or above in the north of the South Island, and average elsewhere.

Outcome: Above average in the north, west and east of the North Island, and in the southwest of the South Island; mostly near average elsewhere.

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River flows

Predicted: Normal in the South Island, normal to below normal in the southwest of the North Island and normal to above in the rest of the North Island.

Outcome: River flows were above normal in all North Island regions, normal or above normal in northern and eastern South Island, and normal or below in the west and south of the South Island.

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