Tauranga wettest main centre

Tauranga was both the sunniest and wettest of the country's main centres this summer.

Tauranga was the sunniest and wettest of the country's main centres this summer despite still having less the average rainfall for the season.

Figures released by Niwa yesterday showed the temperature during December, January and February was higher than usual, the sunshine hours were about average and the rainfall was lower than normal.

Niwa forecaster Chris Brandolino said Tauranga only saw 76 per cent of its average summer rainfall but it was still the wettest of the six main centres.

"It was just the least dry, is the best way of putting it," he said.

A high pressure system over the country caused the warm, sunny weather, Mr Brandolino said. "Basic meteorology needs air to rise to get any cloud, to get any precipitation. We had higher pressure than normal which meant not a lot of cloud cover," he said.

"A big reason for the sunshine was higher pressure than normal. We didn't have a lot of rain but we only had 76 per cent of normal.

"It's just because it was wetter than other areas."

The wind in Tauranga was predominantly north easterly which blew in the showers that helped lift the coastal area's rainfall, he said.

Mr Brandolino said Tauranga saw bouts of rain at the end of December, in late January and early February.

Further inland, Te Puke saw the average air temperature hit its second highest summer temperature since records began in 1973.

The Western Bay was not without its share of extreme weather during the summer either.

On February 26 a number of small tornadoes tore through Tauranga and Katikati and heavy rain caused a couple of roofs to collapse.

Earlier in February a blinding flash was seen followed by a sonic boom as a meteor entered the earth's atmosphere. The phenomenon was recorded by the dash camera of a Tauranga driver.

Looking forward to autumn Mr Brandolino said most of the country could expect normal or above normal temperatures and normal or below normal rainfall.

"A cool, wet autumn is the least likely outcome," he said.