National Climate Summary – August 2007

2007

National Climate Summary – August 2007

• Rainfall: Below normal in the north and east of the South Island,
near or above normal in regions exposed to the west
• Temperature: Above average in the North Island, near average elsewhere
• Sunshine: Well above average in Wellington, Nelson, and inland South
Canterbury
• Wind: More southwesterlies than normal; northwest gales during the
second week

August 2007 was a month which was windy at times with frequent disturbed
southwesterlies, especially to the east, resulting in low rainfall in
sheltered northern and eastern South Island regions, and normal or above
normal rainfall in several other regions.

Rainfall was less than 33 percent (a third) of normal in southern parts
of Marlborough, on Banks Peninsula, and inland parts of Otago, with soil
moisture levels now below normal for the time of year in some of these
regions. Temperatures were above normal over much of the North Island
and near average over much of the South Island. The national average
temperature of 9.1 ºC was 0.4ºC above normal. The month was particularly
sunny in Wellington, Nelson, and inland areas of south Canterbury.
August’s climate patterns were produced by more frequent depressions
(‘lows’) south of the Chatham Islands, more anticyclones (‘highs’) in
the Tasman Sea, resulting in frequent southwesterly winds over New
Zealand. Three depressions tracked across New Zealand during the month
(on the 5th, 17th, and 27th).

Further Highlights:
• The highest temperature during August 2007 was 21.4 ºC recorded at
Rangiora on the 9th.
• The lowest air temperature during the month was -8.4 ºC recorded at
Hanmer Forest on the 20th. A grass minimum of -16.4 ºC was recorded at
Mt Cook Village on the 15th, their lowest on record for August.
• High rainfall at Milford Sound totalled 431 mm over the 96 hours
(4-days) to 9am on the 12th, and 107 mm at Kerikeri Airport over
the 24 hours to 9am on the 17th.
• Gale force northwesterlies buffeted many central and southern New
Zealand regions over the 10th -12th, with several power lines
damaged in parts of Otago.
• Of the five main centres, Auckland was the warmest, Dunedin the
driest, Christchurch the coldest, Hamilton the wettest, and Wellington
the sunniest.

ends

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