Rainfall patterns during the 2009 calendar year were distinguished by four extremely dry months (January, March, April and November). Rainfall throughout most of the region over this period was less than half of normal rainfall1. A particularly wet October and June put the yearly total rainfall back to around normal across the region.
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On average (43 sites) the Hawke’s Bay region received "about normal rainfall" during the period 1 January to 31 December 2009. The summer and early autumn months of 2009 were noticeably drier than usual, particularly during March and April receiving only 40% of normal rainfall for those consecutive months. A particularly wet October and June put the yearly total rainfall back to around normal across the region.
- The raingauge at Awanui Stream on the Heretaunga plains recorded the lowest rainfall in the region, with a total of only 538mm of rain falling during the calendar year. This area would normally expect around 600mm rainfall per annum.
- Napier CBD Rainfall received 783mm of rain in 2009, 10 percent above normal.
- Less than half the normal expected rainfall fell across the region during the months of January, March, April and November of 2009.
- June 2009 was a wet month across the region with 60% more than normal rainfall.
- Pukeorapa received the most amount of rain of any gauges in Hawkes Bay, with a total of 3227mm collected during 2009 (15% above normal).
- Rocky Pad (a raingauge located on the western side of Lake Waikaremoana) received the highest daily total rainfall for the year of 178mm on the 24th of May.
* Normal rainfall is calculated from long-term 30 year average rainfall totals
(% deviation from 30 year normals)
