Overview

Spring 2024 was characterised by a higher-than-normal mean sea level pressure (MSLP) over and surrounding Aotearoa New Zealand, with lower-than-normal MSLP to the southwest of the country. This generally resulted in more westerly winds than normal. However, a notable exception occurred in October, with more easterly winds than normal over the lower South Island. It was a very wet season for Southland and Otago, and rainfall was well above normal (>149% of normal) for many parts of these regions. Several locations in the southern South Island received more than double their usual spring rainfall. In contrast, it was a very dry season in eastern parts of the North Island. This was especially the case for Hawke’s Bay, where eastern parts of the region recorded well below normal spring rainfall (<50% of normal).

Temperatures were above average (+0.51°C to +1.20°C of average) for most of the North Island, and eastern parts of the South Island from Marlborough to Otago. Near average temperatures (±0.50°C of average) were observed in Southland, inland Otago, the Mackenzie Basin, West Coast, Nelson, Tasman, and northeastern parts of Northland. Overall, the nationwide average temperature for spring was 12.9°C, 0.8°C above the 1991-2020 average from NIWA’s seven-station temperature series which begins in 1909. This ranked as New Zealand’s 7th-warmest spring on record.

Further highlights for spring 2024:

• The highest temperature was 32.1°C, observed at Bromley (Christchurch) on 28 November. • The lowest temperature was -7.8°C, observed at Lake Tekapo on 17 September. • The highest 1-day rainfall was 373 mm, recorded at Franz Josef on 8 November. • The highest wind gust was 198 km/h, observed at Cape Turnagain on 20 September. • Of the available, regularly reporting sunshine observation sites, the sunniest four regions in

2024 so far are Marlborough (2489 hours), wider Nelson (2477 hours), Bay of Plenty (2454 hours), and Tasman (2387 hours).

• Of the six main centres in spring 2024, Auckland was the warmest, Dunedin was the coolest and wettest, Tauranga was the sunniest, Christchurch was the driest, and Wellington was the least sunny.

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