KEY POINTS:
Aucklanders enjoyed a warmer August than usual - but Wellington had the sunniest weather last month.
Data released yesterday showed that the average maximum temperature across greater Auckland for the month was 16C. That's 1.2C higher than usual. Carla Salinger, of Weatherwise, said the region's average minimum was 8.2C, exactly the average.
Ms Salinger said Aucklanders may have perceived August was particularly wet as there were many rain days, but the total rainfall was just 4mm above average.
Niwa, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, said in its climate summary, that temperatures were above normal over much of the North Island and near average over most of the South Island.
Dr Jim Salinger, principal climate scientist, said the national average temperature of 9.1 degrees celsius was 0.4 C above normal.
Of the five main centres, Auckland was the warmest, Dunedin the driest, Christchurch the coldest, Hamilton the wettest, and Wellington the sunniest. Nelson and inland South Canterbury also enjoyed a relatively sunny August.
Dr Salinger said across the country rainfall was below normal in the north and east of the South Island, and near or above normal in western regions.
There were more southwesterlies than normal especially to the east, resulting in low rainfall in sheltered northern and eastern South Island regions, and normal or above normal rainfall in several other regions.
He said rainfall was less than a third of normal in southern parts of Marlborough, Banks Peninsula, and inland parts of Otago, with soil moisture levels now below normal for the time of year in some regions.
EXTREMES
* Highest temperature 21.4C recorded at Rangiora on the ninth of August.
* Lowest air temperature during the month was - 8.4C recorded at Hanmer Forest on the 20th.
* Grass minimum of - 16.4C was recorded at Mt Cook Village on the 15th, lowest on record for August.
* High rainfall at Milford Sound totalled 431 mm over four days to the 12th, and 107 mm at Kerikeri Airport over one day to 9am on the 17th.
* Gale force northwesterlies buffeted many central and southern regions over the 10th - 12th, with several power lines damaged in parts of Otago.
