8 September 2017
Greater Wellington figures show it sure has rained a lot lately
Have you got the feeling the rain never stopped this winter? Well, you’re right and Greater Wellington Regional Council
has released the figures to prove it. According to council data, rainfall totals across the Greater Wellington region
have been breaking records in many areas between January and August this year.
GW’s General Manager Environment Management Group, Nigel Corry, says during winter June was relatively dry but July and
August sure made up for it.
“Rainfall was actually below average throughout the entire region for June. Paekakariki’s June average was only 5% of
normal rainfall. So you can imagine the locals surprise when July rolls around and they then receive than twice as much
(220%) average rainfall followed by just over one and half times (162%) above average for August.”
Greater Wellington monitors rainfall at over 50 sites across the region. The information collected is vital for
flood-warning, water management during drought, and detecting long-term trends in climate.
Between January and August, the Kapiti Coast area had received the highest amount of rainfall when compared to the
long-term average, with totals of 966mm in Otaki and 1181mm in Waikanae – both being 150% of normal and the second
highest totals at each location since 1970.
Over the same period, rainfall through Porirua, Wellington, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and the Ruamahanga Valley, in the
Wairarapa, was around 120% to 130% of average. The eastern Wairarapa hill country saw closer to average rainfall totals
from January to August.
Lower Hutt was another area to receive twice its monthly rainfall in July.
“During a storm in the middle of July our flood protection team was nervously watching river levels rises in the
Wairarapa and Wainuiomata River. Thankfully the rain eased off before the rivers burst their banks but we had our
regional emergency management teams on stand-by ready for the worst,” says Corry.
As for the rest of the year? According to NIWA’s seasonal forecast, the same weather patterns that have brought the
Wellington region all this wet weather will most likely be sticking around until November.
Please see regional rainfall statistics below.
For more information, please contact:
Clayton Anderson, GW Communications, tel 027 272 1370
Percentage of normal rainfallJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugJan-AugPlimmerton (Whenua Tapu)101%120%253%322%84%12%170%199%140%Battle Hill164%211%198%273%79%14%165%213%151%Paparangi119%102%176%262%59%55%169%154%127%Tawa119%102%176%262%59%55%169%154%127%Otaki155%134%192%293%89%26%170%201%150%Waikanae145%156%170%257%121%19%187%191%150%Paekakariki143%189%237%229%78%5%220%162%137%Khandallah112%170%183%283%67%60%161%140%138%Karori Res82%110%146%227%64%79%160%150%122%Berhampore99%257%222%284%98%66%181%140%154%Wainuiomata119%109%98%226%55%34%192%102%110%Kaitoke188%191%143%261%73%41%123%145%131%Lower Hutt129%113%158%279%52%17%203%143%127%Tinui94%217%73%344%114%46%97%48%110%Te Ore Ore (Masterton)56%156%105%298%95%44%144%53%109%Featherston78%232%129%262%81%43%137%108%127%Martinborough90%216%141%301%103%37%184%109%136%Longbush84%172%74%267%85%33%183%88%117%Waiohine Gorge110%232%92%237%86%44%128%127%137%
ends