Current Climate - April 2009

April 2009 was dominated by persisting anticyclones to the east of the North Island of New Zealand. This resulted in more northerly air flows than normal over the country, which contributed to higher than normal rainfall in the far north and southwest, and lower than normal rainfall in the east and south.

Percentage of normal rainfall for April 2009.

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.

Departure from average air temperature for April 2009.

Rainfall

Above normal rainfall was recorded in northern Northland, the West Coast, and inland areas of the South Island. Elsewhere, it was dry throughout the eastern half of the North Island, particularly in southern Hawke’s Bay and northern Tararua District; also dry in parts of coastal Canterbury, eastern Otago and along the south coast.

Soil moisture

The exceptionally low rainfall in southern Hawke’s Bay and Tararua left soils in those regions drier than normal at the end of the month. Soils were also drier than normal in parts of the central North Island, coastal Canterbury and inland Otago.

Air temperature

Air temperatures were below average over much of the North Island, especially in central and eastern areas, and above average in the south and west of the South Island. The national average temperature of 13.4°C was 0.1°C above the long-term average for April.

Sunshine

Below normal hours of bright sunshine were recorded in Northland and Auckland. Sunshine was above normal in parts of Hawke’s Bay, Tararua District, Tasman District and Southland, and near normal elsewhere.

For more information

See our April 2009 climate summary.

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