Science Centres: Climate

The climate we predicted and what actually happened. 

Predicted rainfall: Seasonal rainfall is likely to be near normal in the north and east of both Islands, and normal or below normal over western areas of both Islands.

Outcome: It was generally drier than projected for all regions, except the southwest North Island. Winter rainfalls were below normal across all of the South Island (except for most of Southland and parts of Nelson and the Tasman Region, where near normal rainfalls were received), as well as for Wellington, the south Wairarapa coast, southern Hawkes Bay, and for the Taupo northwards (i.e. the northern North Island) excluding the Waikato (where near normal winter rainfall was observed). The Gisborne Region, the Tararua District, northern Hawkes Bay and the eastern Wairarapa coast received mostly near normal rainfall, as did much of the southwest of the North Island (although above normal rainfall was observed in parts of the Manawatu-Wanganui region). 

Predicted air temperature: For the June-July-August period as a whole, temperatures are likely to be average or above average for the northern North Island, near average for the west and south of the South Island, and above average in all other regions.

Outcome: It was generally cooler than projected, with the exception of the northern North Island (where above average to average temperatures were correctly predicted) and the West Coast and south of the South Island (where near average temperatures prevailed). Seasonal temperatures were in fact near average for the eastern North Island, and near average to above average for the southwest of the North Island. For the remainder of the South Island, winter temperatures were near average to above average.