Rainfall patterns during the 2008 calendar year were distinguished by four extremely dry months, in January, February, September and November 2008. Rainfall throughout the region during these months was less than half of normal rainfall1.
For the year as a whole, rainfall was 15 percent less than normal across the region. Waikaremoana was the only area in Hawke’s Bay that received above average rainfall.
On this page
Rainfall patterns during the 2008 calendar year were characterised by four extremely dry months, January, February, September and November 2008. Rainfall throughout the region during these months was less than half of normal rainfall1.
For the year as a whole, rainfall was 15 percent less than normal across the region, and an average of 1200mm of rain fell in Hawke’s Bay during 2008. Waikaremoana was the only area that received above average rainfall.
- The Ruataniwha Plain was the driest area in 2008, with an average of only 630mm of rain falling during the calendar year. In this area we would normally expect around 900mm rainfall per annum.
- Napier (Fred) received 730mm of rain in 2008, 3 percent above normal.
- Less than half the normal expected rainfall fell during the months of January, February, September and November of 2008.
- May 2008 was a wet month with 65% more than normal rainfall. More than double the normal May rainfall fell in Waikaremoana, Northern Hawkes Bay, the Heretaunga Plains and Southern Hawke’s Bay.
1 Normal rainfall is calculated from long-term 30 year average rainfall totals
(% deviation from 30 year normals)
(% deviation from 30 year normals)
