Spring warmer and drier

A mild La Nina spring is on the way – which might be welcome news because August was wet with all sites recording higher than historical averages.

There was only a handful of days during the month where it didn't rain, according to readings at Taranaki Regional Council sites. Rain fell heavily on August 13 and thunderstorms struck parts of the region last weekend.

The TRC figures show that Motunui received nearly twice the normal amount of rain for the month while Kaupokonui was the driest area in the region with 107mm of rainfall recorded.

North Egmont was the wettest area where 1117.5mm fell.

New Plymouth received 209mm near the Waiwhakaiho Valley and 252mm at the top of the Burgess Park Hill, both of these sites recorded around 160 per cent of normal for the month.

Due to the high rainfall river flows were above normal and water temperatures unusually high at between 0.5degrees Celsius and 0.84C.

Meanwhile, a report from the Niwa National Climate Centre says a moderate La Nina is well-established in the tropical Pacific, and may strengthen through the rest of 2010 and into summer 2011.

Spring temperatures are predicted to be above average across the country and rainfall near normal.

However it's a different moisture story in the north and east of the North Island which is likely to experience average or above average rainfall, according to the centre's latest seasonal outlook.

Soil moisture levels and stream flows should be near normal in all regionsg.

- © Fairfax NZ News