Winter came a little early

Winter arrived early in the Far North, the last month of autumn producing more rain than any month since August last year, and the longest spell of consecutive rain days — 14 — since a wet patch that began on May 29 last year.

The Northland Age recorded 159.5mm on 21 days in Kaitaia, well up on the 85-year average of 129.6mm, the first time the monthly average has been exceeded this year. That took the total for the first five months of the year to 374.3mm on 66 days, compared with 344.4mm on 60 days over the same period last year and the average of 498.2mm on 61 days.

Sue Lunjevich recorded 164.7mm on 17 days at Pamapuria for a five-month total of 428.7mm on 56 days, compared with 315.5mm on 49 days over the same period last year. Hilton Kitchen recorded 175.5mm on 23 days at Victoria Valley for a five-month total of 520.5mm on 81 days, compared with 444.5mm on 66 days over the same period last year.

Alison Panckhurst recorded 158mm on 19 days at Cooper’s Beach for a fivemonth total of 419.5mm on 65 days, and Tony Schluter also recorded 158mm on 16 days at Lake Ohia, for a five-month total of 423mm on 63 days. The same period last year produced 326mm on 47 days.

The three months of autumn delivered 293.3mm on 50 days in Kaitaia, a little down on the average of 312.3mm on 41 days. The autumn extremes were set in 1946 (593mm) and 1958 (139mm).

Sue Lunjevich recorded 306.2mm on 40 days during autumn, compared with 253.5mm on 49 days over the same season last year.

NIWA’s expectations for Northland for the next three months are for near average temperatures, below average rainfall, soil moisture and river flows.