My Account
It was a dry year in Warkworth last year. The total rainfall recorded in Alnwick Street in 2020 was 1135mm, which was 300mm below the 20-year average.
It was the third driest year since 2000, with just 60mm more than 2019.
Just 12mm fell in December, which was well behind last year’s drought inducing 65mm. By comparison, the 20-year average for December is 110mm.
However, early indications from the Mahurangi Matters team of meteorology enthusiasts suggest that between 40mm and 50mm rain fell in Mahurangi in the first week of January this year.
The wettest day in Warkworth last year was November 5 when 61mm was caught in the rain gauge.
The wettest month was May when 209mm was recorded in Whitaker Road, closely followed by August with 196mm recorded in Alnwick Street. The driest month was February with 6.5mm, followed by 8mm in January and 12mm in December.
For the second year in a row, Algies Bay received the least rainfall with 848mm for the year, while Warkworth received the most with 1135mm on Alnwick Street and 1213mm on Whitaker Road. The lowest monthly figures came from Algies Bay and Mangawhai, which both recorded no rain at all in February.
In December, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) reported that last year was set to be the seventh warmest year on record. It was 0.7 degrees above the average.
Climatologist Ben Noll said it had been 46 consecutive months since New Zealand’s nationwide average temperature was below average.
Mahurangi Matters thanks its dedicated team of meteorology enthusiasts, from Kaipara Flats to Topuni, who provide their readings each month.
