Current Climate - September 2009
During September 2009, higher pressures and more frequent northerly winds affected New Zealand overall.
End of month water balance in the pasture root zone for an average soil type, where the available water capacity is 150 mm.
Rainfall
September was a dry month for inland parts of the South Island. Rainfall was well below normal (less than 50 percent of usual) in parts of inland Otago, inland Canterbury, Westland and Buller. Rainfall totals were below normal (between 50 and 80 percent of normal) for parts of Malborough, the Kaikoura coast and inland Southland, but near normal elsewhere in the South Island. In contrast, wetter conditions prevailed in the North Island, with near normal rainfall (between 80 and 120 percent of normal) in most districts. Above normal rainfalls (between 120 and 150 percent of normal) were recorded in parts of Northland, eastern Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, as well as around Nelson and Oamaru. Coromandel and the Wairarapa recorded below normal rainfall (between 50 and 80 percent of normal).
Air temperature
Temperatures were close to normal for most regions of the country, for the month as a whole. Exceptions were the northeast of the North Island, and around the Southern Lakes, where temperatures were above average (between 0.5°C and 1.2°C above average). The national average temperature was 10.6°C (+0.3°C above the long-term September average). Two extreme temperature events occurred during September, breaking records at many locations; it was extremely cold on the 5th and 6th, and record warm on the 14th.
Sunshine
It was a very sunny start to spring. September sunshine totals were well above normal (above125 percent of normal) in the northern half of the South Island, as well as in the central North Island. In most other regions, sunshine totals were above normal (between 110 and 125 percent of normal).
See our September 2009 climate summary.
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