NIWA May Climate Summary and Autumn 2019 Seasonal Climate Summary
MEDIA RELEASE
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/Climate_Summary_May_2019_Finalcompressed.pdf
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