This summer was the North Island’s second-wettest and New Zealand’s third-warmest summer on record.
In its latest climate summary for summer and February, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) confirmed Auckland received 5.5 times the normal summer rainfall and 63% of the usual amount for a year.
Several other major centres recorded the wettest summer on record including Napier, Gisborne and Tauranga.
It was the fifth-driest summer on record for the South Island though, with the February meteorological drought and many areas recording less than half of their normal summer rainfall.
READ MORE:
* Cyclone Gabrielle: The volunteers who moved a whole settlement to safety
* Cyclone Gabrielle: Te Karaka couple camping until Christmas
* Cyclone Gabrielle: The health dangers of silt and how to protect yourself
Niwa said it’s been a summer to remember, but not in a good way.
February would go down as the month New Zealand experienced one of its worst weather disasters.
Shane Whitmore/Supplied
Waiteitei Road in Mangawhai was flooded after heavy rain in Auckland. (File image)
Parts of the North Island received at least 400% of their normal February rainfall, with Napier having its third-wettest month – receiving over 600% its normal.
The highest day of rainfall was 316 mm, recorded at Hawkes Bay on February 13.
However, parts of the South Island had better rainfall, below 50% – 79%, or even well below normal, as was seen in Fiordland.
February was not only wet, but warm.
RYAN ANDERSON/Stuff
Whatatutu, Gisborne, was hit hard during cyclone Gabrielle, with a key bridge being swept away. (File image)
The nationwide temperature was 18.5 degrees Celsius and temperatures at Greymouth, Westport and Arapito in the West Coast were the warmest.
The highest temperature was 35.6 degrees, at Middlemarch, Otago, on 4 February
The sunniest locations so far in 2023 have been at Central Otago, West Coast, Mackenzie Basin, Queenstown Lakes District and Hokitika on the South Island.
Niwa said New Zealand’s summer and February’s weather disasters was typical of La Nina summers – higher than normal air pressure observed to the east and south of New Zealand, with lower than normal pressure to the north and west.
This resulted in more easterly and northeasterly winds than usual, drawing in warm and humid air from the tropics and sub-tropics.
“This partly explains why persistently wet and cloudy weather was experienced in northern and eastern parts of both Islands, with sunnier and drier conditions in the west and south of both islands.”
