Auckland swelters in record dry spell

Temperatures were above average by more than 0.5C throughout the country. Photo / Martin Sykes

Auckland is coming through a record dry patch - only 5mm of rain fell in February, the least since records began in 1959.

The rain also stayed away from much of the rest of the country, although forecasters predict some relief from the drought shortly.

NIWA statistics issued yesterday show Auckland had less than 10 per cent of its normal rainfall last month.

It also had its fourth-highest mean maximum temperature, of 25.5C.

Temperatures were above average by more than 0.5C throughout the country.

Regions with temperatures well above the average included central Auckland, Coromandel, western Bay of Plenty, and the central plateau, as well as much of the western South Island.

The highest temperature recorded in February was 35.6C, at Cheviot on the 22nd. The lowest temperature was 0.5C, at Omarama in Central Otago on the 19th.

It was the sunniest February on record for Dunedin and Balclutha, since records began in 1947 and 1964.

Severe soil moisture deficits continued in Northland and have developed in parts of Auckland, Marlborough, Canterbury and Otago.

But relief is on its way.

NIWA climate scientist Georgina Griffiths said: "We're expecting El Nino to exit during autumn, which is good news for farmers."

MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt said anti-cyclones had resulted in little rain over Auckland, but pending "grumpy fronts" indicated that rain was on the way.

"The rain is coming back, that's for sure," he said.

WeatherWatch head analyst Philip Duncan said rain started falling in Northland yesterday - the same day water restrictions were imposed in the Far North.

"The northern rain radar showed some decent shower activity over much of central Northland ... with a secondary band of lighter, patchier rain moving in," he said.

But the two bands contained only about 30 to 60 minutes of rain.