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December's climate

New Zealand climate in December

Rainfall (click to enlarge).

Temperature (click to enlarge).

Rainfall was less than 60% of normal in Bay of Plenty, and inland South Canterbury. North Taranaki, Manawatu, Buller, the Kaikoura coast, and inland Southland and Otago were also drier than normal. Northland, Coromandel, Gisborne, and Hawke’s Bay recorded above normal rainfall.

Air temperatures were above average in most northern and western regions, and in Southland and much of Otago, but near average in the east. The national average temperature of 16.1 ºC was 0.5 °C above average.

For more information see www.niwascience.co.nz/ncc/cs/mclimsum_07_12

Soil moisture deficit

Soil moisture (click to enlarge).

Severe soil moisture deficits persisted during December in Marlborough, Canterbury, and North and Central Otago.Moisture deficits in the North Island east coast were relieved by above average December rainfall. Waikato and Southland soils were unusually dry at the end of the month.

River flows

River flows (click to enlarge).

Stream flows varied across the country. They were high in Northland, near normal in Rangitikei/Manawatu, the North Island east coast and South Island snow-fed rivers, and low in other rivers.

October to December: the climate we predicted and what happened

(click to enlarge).

Rainfall

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

Outcome: Near normal in the north and east of the North Island and much of the South Island. Below normal in Bay of Plenty, Waikato and western North Island, and inland parts of Southland and Otago.


(click to enlarge).

Air temperature

Predicted: Average or above average in all regions.

Outcome: Mostly average; above or below average in a few scattered districts.


(click to enlarge).

River flows

Predicted: Below normal in the north and east of the South Island, and normal or above normal elsewhere.

Outcome: Stream flows were below normal across much of the North Island, except Northland, above normal in Nelson and Marlborough, and normal to below normal elsewhere.


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