NIWA May Climate Summary and Autumn Seasonal Climate Summary

NIWA May Climate Summary and Autumn 2019 Seasonal Climate Summary
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THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

Autumn 2019 was New Zealand’s 4th warmest on record

NIWA May Climate Summary and Autumn 2019 Seasonal Climate Summary

Autumn Seasonal Climate Summary highlights include:
• Autumn 2019 was New Zealand’s 4th warmest on record. Temperatures across the country were mostly above average or well above average.
• This autumn was characterised by higher than normal mean pressure over and to the east of the country, resulting in more northerly winds than normal across New Zealand.
• In addition, the seas around the country were warmer than normal - a continuation of the marine heatwave we saw this summer.
• The nationwide average temperature for autumn 2019 was 14.4C.
• The warmest autumn temperature of 32.4C was recorded in Waipara West on 5 March.
• The lowest autumn temperature was -6.0C in Ranfurly on 7 April.
• Rainfall over much of the North Island was below normal, with isolated pockets of well below normal. Conversely, a large portion of the South Island received above or well above normal rainfall.
You can watch a video of the autumn highlights here:https://youtu.be/MIXa_hqpghs

May 2019 monthly climate summary highlights include:
• May 2019 was the 3rd warmest May on record.
• May temperatures were above average or well above average across the entire country, with the most unusually warm temperatures in the South Island.
• The highest temperature was 25.3C at Napier on 10 May.
• The lowest temperature was -5.3C observed at Motu on 18 May.
• Rainfall was below normal or well below normal for the majority of the North Island, with the exception being parts of the Waikato, Taranaki and coastal Manawatu-Whanganui, where rainfall was near normal. Rainfall was above or well above normal for much of western and lower South Island.
• Of the six main centres in May 2019, Auckland was the warmest, Christchurch was the coldest and wettest, Tauranga was the driest, Wellington the sunniest, and Dunedin the least sunny.

http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/1906/NIWA_Climate_Summary_Autumn_2019_FINAL.pdf

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