Gisborne’s 2024 weather in review: Niwa releases annual climate report

The heavy rain on Boxing Day and heavy flow in the rivers left another layer of driftwood and debris on Gisborne's beaches in the days following. Niwa says it was the city's second wettest December since records began in 1905. Photo / Murray Robertson

New data reveals the weather highs and lows Gisborne experienced throughout 2024, including long dry spells and record winds.

The latest annual climate summary and monthly report from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa), both released on Wednesday, confirmed the December rainfall total in Gisborne was the second highest for that month since its records began in 1905.

While Gisborne experienced its second wettest December since 1905, Mahia had its wettest December on record.

The Niwa figures show 270 millimetres fell at Mahia, 230mm at Gisborne Airport and 260mm in Wairoa - its second-highest December total since 1964.

MetService had earlier said it was Gisborne’s wettest December - 229.9mm of rainfall compared with 204.4mm in 1954.

Gisborne Boxing Day rainfall of 74mm, recorded by Niwa, was the third-highest daily total since 1937, whereas Mahia’s tally of 86mm that day was the highest since records there began in 1990.

Wairoa’s 87mm was the third-highest daily total since 1967.

On December 26, high winds brought down trees on SH2 near the Wharerata Rd lookout on SH2 south and police urged motorists to avoid the area.

Wind gusts in Gisborne reached 104km/h on December 19, the highest in December since 1972.

At Mahia, it got up to 107km/h on December 27, the highest since 1991.

Niwa's latest climate summary and monthly confirmed Gisborne's December rainfall total was the second highest for that month here since its records began in 1905. It also blew. A gust of 104km/h on the 19th was the highest recorded for the month in Gisborne since 1972.

Dry days in February

Gisborne was one of several locations that experienced lengthy dry spells (consecutive days with less than 1mm of rain) during February - a run of 23 days.

The region saw above average temperatures (0.51C-1.20C above average) during that month.

May rainfall was above normal (120-149% of normal) or well above normal (greater than 149% of normal) for several regions, including Gisborne.

The above-normal rainfall continued into June, when a storm rocked the East Coast and Hawke’s Bay.

Rainfall was below normal (50-79% of normal) for Gisborne in August.

Temperatures were above average (0.51-1.20C above average) or well above average (less than 1.20C above average) for Gisborne in September.

Gisborne had below normal (50-79% of normal) or well below-normal (less than 50% of normal) rainfall in October.

On an annual basis, Niwa reports 2024 was New Zealand’s 10th-warmest year on record.

Overall, Gisborne had 1157mm of rain in 2024.

Tolaga Bay received 1449mm, Wairoa 1362mm and Mahia 1237mm.

The mean temperature in Gisborne was about 15C and the city saw 2287 hours of sunshine - the 27th highest recorded in NZ.

Marlborough experienced New Zealand’s highest annual sunshine total during 2024 - 2769 hours at Blenheim.