Spring downpours measured

Graph, courtesy MetService

Although rainfall on the Hibiscus Coast this year is not at an all time high, it has certainly been one of the wettest years in recent times.

This September, the MetService recorded 135mm of rainfall at Whangaparaoa Peninsula. This is the wettest September for many years, although in 2013 it came close with 130mm.

To put this in perspective, the average rainfall for Whangaparaoa in September is 75mm (based on the last 10 years). Putting this month’s tally to shame, however was the rain recorded in September 1997 (168.4mm) and September 1989 (a mighty 192mm).

According to MetService figures, 2011 has so far been the wettest year this decade on the Coast, with 1028.1mm but 2016 is nudging up to that total, with 1001.4mm recorded so far (January to September).

NIWA’s prediction for early summer (October to December) for this region is that temperatures are likely to be above average and rainfall “in the near normal or above normal range”.

Soil moisture levels for that period are predicted to be above normal. NIWA principal forecaster Chris Brandolino says that ‘normal’ is worked out on a 30-year average (currently on 1981–2011 figures). By his calculations, for Auckland, average rainfall would be a total of 279mm over the three month period, October to December, give or take 20 percent.