New Zealand Climate Summary: 2014 Issued: 9 January 2015
The year 2014: Near normal rainfall and near average temperatures for most of the country.
Rainfall Annual rainfall was near normal for most parts of New Zealand in 2014. The exception was parts of the central North
Island and Central Otago where rainfall was below normal, and isolated parts of Northland near Kaikohe where above
normal rainfall was recorded. In addition, well above normal rainfall occurred near the far south-west of the South
Island. Temperatures Annual temperatures were near average across much of the country. However, above average annual temperatures were
recorded in isolated locations in the Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Taranaki, Wairarapa, Westland and Central Otago. Notably,
New Zealand observed its equal-warmest June on record (based on NIWA’s seven-station series which begins in 1909). Soil moisture From late-summer through to mid-autumn soil moisture levels were lower than normal in many parts of New Zealand,
including western areas of Northland and Auckland, central and western Waikato, eastern Bay of Plenty, Taranaki,
Manawatu-Whanganui, Tasman and the upper West Coast. At the end of the year soil moisture levels were below or well
below normal across Waikato, lower Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, and along and east of the Divide in the South Island. Above
normal soil moisture levels were evident over parts of the upper West Coast of the South Island, northern Gisborne,
coastal Bay of Plenty, much of the Coromandel Peninsula and central and eastern areas of Northland. Sunshine 2014 was sunnier than normal for parts of the Coromandel Peninsula, eastern Bay of Plenty, East Cape, northern Taranaki,
southern Hawke’s Bay and north Canterbury. Annual sunshine totals were near normal elsewhere.