March 2004

Rainfall: Very dry overall. Extremely low rainfall in Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, and Bay of Plenty

Temperatures: Cold. Well below average in the North Island, especially in Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Waikato, and Taranaki.

Soil moisture: Moderate deficits persist in central Marlborough, Canterbury, and Otago

Sunshine: Above average in the North Island and the north and east of the South Island.

March rainfall, in a dramatic contrast to the extremely wet February, was well below average throughout much of the North Island, and northern South Island, many locations recording less than 50 percent (half) of average totals. Record low March rainfall, less than 10 mm in many areas, occurred throughout much of Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, and Bay of Plenty. Moderate soil moisture deficits persisted in parts of central Marlborough, Canterbury, and Otago, with field capacity maintained in western areas of both islands. March remained cold overall, especially over the North Island. Mean temperatures were 1.0 to 2.5°C below normal throughout much of the North Island, especially Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Waikato, and Taranaki, and also below normal in the north and west of the South Island. It was very sunny in the far north, eastern Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, south Taranaki, Nelson, and central Marlborough, as sunshine totals were above normal throughout much of the North Island and the north and east of the South Island.

The generally cooler, drier March climate pattern was due to more frequent depressions (“lows”) to the south and east of the South Island, producing more frequent westerlies and southwesterlies over New Zealand.

Highlights

• The highest March 2004 temperature was 31.7°C, recorded at Kaikoura on the 10th. This was Kaikoura’s second highest March temperature in measurements that commenced in 1964.
• The lowest temperature for the month was –4.0°C, recorded in Fairlie on the 25th, the lowest in the region since observations started in 1925.
• A cold southerly outbreak produced snowfall on the Desert Road over the night of 28/29 March, resulting in a temporary closure, with scattered hail in exposed eastern regions, the earliest significant snowfall event in the year for the Desert Road since 1993.
• Of the four main centres Auckland was the driest and Wellington was the sunniest. Rainfall and temperatures were below average in all four centres. Sunshine hours were above normal in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, and near normal in Dunedin. For Auckland March was one of the driest and coldest on record.

Rainfall

Rainfall was less than 25 percent (quarter) of average in Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, much of Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and central Marlborough, and less than 50 percent (half) of average throughout much of the North Island, and northern South Island. Rainfall was also below average in Wellington, much of Wairarapa, Buller, and much of Canterbury and Otago.

Temperature

The March national average temperature of 14.5°C was 1.3°C below normal, the lowest for March since 14.3°C in 1993. Mean temperatures were 1.0 to 2.5°C below normal throughout much of the North Island, and also below normal in the north and west of the South Island. Temperatures were near normal over the remainder of the South Island.

Sunshine

Sunshine totals were above normal throughout much of the North Island and the north and east of the South Island. It was very sunny in the far north, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay. Sunshine was near normal in Westland and Fiordland, Southland, and Otago.

Full report

Full details of March 2004 summary.

For further information, please contact:

Dr Jim Salinger – Principal Scientist, Climate
NIWA National Climate Centre – Auckland
Phone +64 9 375 2053
[email protected]

Stuart Burgess – Climatologist
NIWA National Climate Centre – Wellington
Phone +64 4 386 0569
[email protected]

Geoff Baird – Communications Manager
Phone +64 4 386 0543
[email protected]

Acknowledgement of NIWA as the source is required.