MenuMain navigation

Current climate: April 2016

During April 2016, a west to east oriented belt of significantly higher than normal pressure was present over New Zealand. This pressure pattern resulted in a settled month of weather, with warm temperatures, low rainfall and high sunshine hours characterising the month for many parts of the country.  

Rainfall

Rainfall was well below normal (<50% of normal) for parts of Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Hawke’s Bay, Whanganui, Manawatu, Wairarapa, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Marlborough, Canterbury and Otago.  Conversely, rainfall was well above normal (>149% of normal) or above normal (120-149% of normal) in the southwest of the South Island and Stewart Island.

Temperature

April temperatures were well above average (>1.20°C above the April average) or above average (+0.51°C to +1.20°C above the April average) in parts of every region of the country.  It was a particularly warm month for much of Southland which recorded temperatures more than 2.0°C above the April average.  Isolated parts of Waikato, Gisborne, West Coast and Canterbury observed near average April temperatures (-0.51°C to +0.50°C of the April average).  

Sunshine

Sunshine was well above normal (>125% of normal) or above normal (110-125% of normal) in many parts of the country.  The exception was parts of Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Southland where sunshine was near normal (90-109% of normal).

Soil Moisture

As at 1 May 2016, soil moisture levels were below normal for the time of year for eastern and inland parts of the South Island, and extensive parts of the North Island.  Soil moisture levels were above normal in parts of Fiordland.

Departure from average air temperature for April 2016.
End of month water balance in the pasture root zone for an average soil type where the available water capacity is taken to be 150 mm.
Percentage of normal rainfall for April 2016.

Archived

This page has been marked as archived, and is here for historical reference only.

Information provided may be out of date, and you are advised to check for newer sources in this section.

This content may be removed at a later date.