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Current Climate - June 2009

June 2009 was dominated by anticyclones (‘highs’) to the far southwest of New Zealand, and higher than normal air pressures over the country. The persistent winter highs caused frosts, below normal temperatures, plentiful sunshine, and more southerly winds than normal.


Percentage of normal rainfall for June 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 June 2009.


Rainfall

Rainfall was well above normal (about 150% of normal) in much of the north and east of the North Island, but well below normal (less than 50% of normal) in parts of Taranaki and the Manawatu, and across much of the southern South Island. Central Otago experienced a record low June rainfall (less than 10% of normal).

Soil moisture

Soils are at field capacity throughout much of New Zealand, but low rainfall has resulted in a decline in soil moisture in South Canterbury and parts of Otago, where soils are now drier than normal.

Air temperature

Temperatures were extremely low for June (between 2.0 and 2.5°C lower than normal) in the Waikato, Taumarunui, Taupo, southern Hawke’s Bay, Central Otago, the Kaikoura Coast, and some alpine areas of the South Island. All other locations had below average temperatures (between 0.5 and 1.8°C lower than normal). The national average temperature of 7.5°C was 0.7°C below the long-term average for June.

Sunshine

June was generally a sunny month, with well above normal sunshine hours (over 125% of normal) in Northland, Auckland, the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taupo, parts of Taranaki and Hawke’s Bay, Fiordland and Westland. Below normal June sunshine (75–90% of normal) occurred in coastal Otago, coastal Canterbury, the Wairarapa, and around East Cape.

See our June 2009 climate summary.

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