Drier month gives grass growth a boost
After several sodden months, the grass is finally away in Taranaki as the region begins to dry out.
Latest statistics from the Taranaki Regional Council show last month was drier than usual, with only 28 to 85 per cent of normal rainfall recorded across the region and some sites receiving their lowest October rainfall on record.
‘‘The average rainfall for the month was 60 per cent, with rainfall being recorded on between 11 and 24 days,’’ council data weather analyst Fiona Jansma said.
The Mangaehu (Huinga) rainfall site recorded only 28 per cent of normal rainfall for October with just 46.5 millimetres.
‘‘Also interesting to note, rainfall sites at Stratford and Pohokura Saddle recorded their lowest October rainfall on record with 67mm and 71mm respectively,’’ Jansma said.
Year to date rainfall was between 98 and 146 per cent of normal, with the average being 127 per cent.
North Egmont was the only site that had recorded below normal rainfall to date with 5890.5 mm (or 98 per cent).
‘‘Patea on the other hand has recorded 146 per cent of normal to date with 1262.5mm and this equates to 121 per cent of normal for the full calendar year,’’ Jansma said.
Rainfall totals as a percentage of the full calendar year were sitting between 83 and 121 per cent, with average for the region being 107 per cent.
There were now only four sites North Egmont, Mangati, Omahine at Moana Trig and Ngutuwera - of the 25 reported on that had not yet recorded their mean annual rainfall, but the latter three were expected to reach this by the end of November.
The warmer, drier weather had boosted pasture growth at Dairy Trust Taranaki’s Gibson farm outside Hawera, particularly in the last week of October when the growth rate hit 104 kilograms of dry matter per day. The eight-year average for October is 64kg DM/ day.
Other statistics from the Whareroa site reflected the council’s findings. Rainfall was
87mm, 20mm below average for the month, while the year to date total of 1299mm was 116 per cent of the
1114mm average.
Soil temperatures were also on the up, ranging from 13.1- 15.4 degrees Celsius. The average of
13.1C was 1.3C above average and the highest recorded since 2001.
Soil temperatures of above 15C were similar to those usually recorded at the site in early December.
With summer approaching, NIWA predicted lower pressure than normal northwest of New Zealand and higher pressure than normal to the south and east of the country.
This type of atmospheric setup, with northeasterly airflow, could produce streams of subtropical moisture towards New Zealand associated with heavy rainfalls.
In Taranaki, that meant temperatures were very likely to be above average (60 per cent chance) and rainfall totals were most likely to be near normal (45 per cent chance). Soil moisture levels and river flows were about equally likely to be near normal (40 per cent chance) or above normal (35 per cent chance).