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Climate Summary for December 2008

December 2008: Sunny for most areas, warm through the middle of the country, dry in the east but wet in some areas exposed to the northeast

  • Rainfall: Well below normal in East Cape, Gisborne, southern Hawke’s Bay, north Canterbury and eastern Southland; above normal in southern Northland, Nelson, Marlborough, Banks Peninsula and inland Canterbury and Otago.
  • Temperature: Above average from Bay of Plenty to Wellington, northern Tasman district, and around Westport and Cheviot; below average for the far north of the North Island and in inland Canterbury.
  • Sunshine: Above average for most of New Zealand and well above average in Southern Hawke’s Bay, north Canterbury and around Hokitika; below average in northern parts of Northland.

Rainfall was less than 50% of normal (half) in many eastern areas of the country (continuing the pattern from October) and in Southland. Soil moisture levels in eastern North Island areas, Waikato and in much of Southland and are between 10 and 50 mm lower than normal for this time of the year as at the end of December. Double the normal rainfall (200% of normal) for December fell in inland Canterbury and Banks Peninsula and 150% of normal rainfall (one and a half times) fell in Northland, Wellington, Nelson and Marlborough over the month.

December temperatures were above average (between 0.5 and 1.0°C above normal) for most of the North Island excluding Northland, Auckland and Waikato. Temperatures were also above average in northern Tasman district, and around Westport and Cheviot. Temperatures in the far north of the North Island and in inland Canterbury were below average for this time of year (by between -0.5 and -1.0°C). All other locations received near normal temperatures for December. The national average temperature of 15.8°C was 0.2°C above average.

Sunshine totals were above average (more than 110% of normal) for the central and eastern North Island and the middle of the South Island. North Canterbury and southern Hawke’s Bay received well above normal (more than 125% of normal) sunshine for December.

Continuing the pattern set in spring, the country experienced relatively few extreme weather events in December, the most significant being a cold snap on the 20th, with record low December maximum temperatures in Darfield, Fairlie, Woodbury, Orari Estate and Wanaka Airport observed on that day.

The diverse weather for December resulted from more ‘highs’ (anticyclones) to the east of the country and many more ‘lows’ (depressions) than normal in the Tasman sea. There were stronger than normal northeasterly winds over the country, which contributed to the low rainfalls in the east and south and higher rainfalls in Northland, around central New Zealand and Banks Peninsula.

Further Highlights

  • The lowest temperature during December was recorded at Hanmer Forest on the 6th, where the minimum temperature was -1.7°C (the equal 3rd-lowest December minimum temperature for this location). The highest temperature during December was 33.0°C recorded at Culverdon on the 29th (the 3rd-highest December maximum temperature for this location).
  • The highest 1-day rainfall total for December was 163mm recorded at Arthur’s Pass on the 19th.
  • The wind gust of 137 km/hr recorded at Southwest Cape was the highest gust for December for New Zealand, though it was not a December record for this location.
  • Of the five main centres, Auckland was the warmest, Wellington was the wettest, and Christchurch was the driest and sunniest.

Full report

Climate statistics tables

Climate statistics December 2008

For further information, please contact:

Dr Andrew Tait – Climate Scientist
NIWA National Climate Centre – Wellington
Phone +64 4 386 0562
Mobile +64 27 327 7948
[email protected]

Dr James Renwick – Principal Scientist
NIWA National Climate Centre – Wellington
Phone +64 4 386 0343
Mobile +64 21 178 5550
[email protected]

Acknowledgement of NIWA as the source is required.