Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

‘Strong’ marine heatwave conditions around North Island fueling warmth, humidity

Jamie Morton
By Jamie Morton
Multimedia Journalist·NZ Herald·
15 Dec, 2024 12:02 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Consumer spending outlook rising, police presence after gang tangi | NZ Herald News Update
Consumer spending outlook on the rise for 2025. Police monitoring after gang tangi. South Korean lawmakers vote to impeach President. Video / NZ Herald
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
0:00
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • subtitles settings, opens subtitles settings dialog
    • subtitles off, selected

      This is a modal window.

      Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

      Text
      Text Background
      Caption Area Background
      Font Size
      Text Edge Style
      Font Family

      End of dialog window.

      This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

      On the rise: New Consumers Price data for June shows annual inflation is up

      UP NEXT:

      Autoplay in
      2
      Disable Autoplay
      Cancel Video
      Consumer spending outlook on the rise for 2025, police monitoring after gang tangi and South Korean lawmakers vote to impeach president in the latest NZ Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald
      NOW PLAYING • Consumer spending outlook rising, police presence after gang tangi | NZ Herald News Update
      Consumer spending outlook on the rise for 2025. Police monitoring after gang tangi. South Korean lawmakers vote to impeach President. Video / NZ Herald
      • Strong “marine heatwave” conditions are being observed around the North Island’s northern and eastern coasts.
      • The abnormal warmth is expected to add to air temperatures and humidity – especially after a shift to “La Nina-like” climate patterns from the New Year.
      • While warmer water might be welcome for beachgoers, marine heatwaves have been hitting our vulnerable ocean ecosystems hard.

      Strong marine heatwave conditions which have formed around northern coasts are set to crank up air temperatures this summer, while making for muggy days and nights.

      National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) meteorologist Chris Brandolino said marine heatwave conditions – prolonged periods of abnormally high sea temperatures – were being observed off the north and east of the North Island.

      That unusual ocean warmth, ranging from 1-3C above normal, was expected to intensify over the next few days as a period of settled weather and strong sunshine heated the surface waters and further hiked up temperatures on land.

      This feedback loop, a pattern that could persist for as long as until May and delay autumn coolness, meant people in coastal areas in northern New Zealand were more likely to experience extra-hot days and increased humidity over summer, Brandolino said.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      Niwa has already predicted above-average nationwide warmth for the season, with a “La Nina-like” climate regime predicted to bring more subtropical northeasterly flows from New Year.

      Brandolino said marine heatwave conditions would add to the uncomfortable humidity these arriving systems delivered to northern areas – and potentially help rainmakers maintain their intensity for longer.

      Strong marine heatwave conditions are being observed around the North Island's northern and eastern coasts. / The Moana Project.
      Strong marine heatwave conditions are being observed around the North Island's northern and eastern coasts. / The Moana Project.

      “If you have higher sea surface temperatures, you’re chucking more water vapour into atmosphere, which is fuel for rain,” he said.

      “So, this may well contribute to what moisture there is in rain-bearing systems coming from the north.”

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      Right now, he expected the heatwave conditions would be noticeable to beachgoers in northern spots.

      “If you’re in Wellington, temperatures along the south coast are closer to 16C, which is a degree above average, but still chilly,” he said.

      “But for people in Northland, Auckland or Hawke’s Bay, where sea temperatures are running at 19C, those anomalies will be noticeable.”

      While warmer water might sound ideal for an evening dip, marine heatwaves have been anything but welcome for vulnerable ocean species.

      Over recent years, scientists have observed mass die-offs among sea sponges and life-supporting kelp forests, along with feeding and breeding disruptions to animals like little blue penguins and our resident giant blue whales.

      Otago University oceanographer Dr Robert Smith expected the predicted return of La Nina-like conditions could pose more such implications.

      “Just as we’ve seen in other summers, we could well have weather systems that push the coastal ocean into a more extreme state – or higher than the temperature anomalies we’re observing.”

      These maps show sea surface temperatures and anomalies as at mid-December. Image / Niwa
      These maps show sea surface temperatures and anomalies as at mid-December. Image / Niwa

      Scientists would be closely monitoring abnormal temperatures deeper in the ocean, where some of the most dramatic impacts have been observed.

      “We’ve certainly seen that happen in 2021-22 and again in 2022-23 – and those were both La Nina summers.”

      Studies suggest marine heatwaves will grow longer, stronger and more frequent around New Zealand under climate change, which has seen our seas warm by an average of 0.2C per decade.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      Scientists warn this trend is worsening fast: average sea temperatures could rise by 1.4C within four decades and almost 3C by the century’s end.

      That would mean by the middle of the century, we could be facing 260 days of marine heatwaves per year – and 350 days by 2100 – compared with the 40-odd days we see now.

      Jamie Morton is a specialist in science and environmental reporting. He joined the Herald in 2011 and writes about everything from conservation and climate change to natural hazards and new technology.

      Sign up to the Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

      Save
        Share this article

      Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

      Bay of Plenty Times

      'No one is invincible': Deaths and close calls plague region's roads

      Bay of Plenty Times

      'State-of-the-art': Golf club completes $3m development

      Premium
      Bay of Plenty Times

      Mount residents fret as future of prime site in limbo


      Sponsored

      Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      Recommended for you

      Warriors host bottom-of-the-table Titans at Go Media Stadium
      Warriors

      Warriors host bottom-of-the-table Titans at Go Media Stadium

      Why Auckland's new hysteroscopy service is a game changer for women
      New Zealand

      Why Auckland's new hysteroscopy service is a game changer for women

      Warriors Women dealt third loss of season after strong Titans showing
      Warriors

      Warriors Women dealt third loss of season after strong Titans showing

      One dead, another injured in two-vehicle crash
      New Zealand

      One dead, another injured in two-vehicle crash

      Kiwi family react after wife stabs husband 50 times with samurai sword
      New Zealand

      Kiwi family react after wife stabs husband 50 times with samurai sword

      From bachelorette to bride: Dr Lesina Nakhid-Schuster is engaged
      Entertainment

      From bachelorette to bride: Dr Lesina Nakhid-Schuster is engaged



      Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

      'No one is invincible': Deaths and close calls plague region's roads
      Bay of Plenty Times

      'No one is invincible': Deaths and close calls plague region's roads

      Local road toll stands at five – and only luck stopped it being more, says road cop.

      26 Jul 12:06 AM
      'State-of-the-art': Golf club completes $3m development
      Bay of Plenty Times

      'State-of-the-art': Golf club completes $3m development

      25 Jul 10:00 PM
      Premium
      Premium
      Mount residents fret as future of prime site in limbo
      Bay of Plenty Times

      Mount residents fret as future of prime site in limbo

      25 Jul 06:00 PM


      Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
      Sponsored

      Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

      06 Jul 09:47 PM

      NZ Herald
      • About NZ Herald
      • Meet the journalists
      • Newsletters
      • Classifieds
      • Help & support
      • Contact us
      • House rules
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of use
      • Competition terms & conditions
      • Our use of AI
      Subscriber Services
      • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
      • Manage your print subscription
      • Manage your digital subscription
      • Subscribe to Herald Premium
      • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
      • Gift a subscription
      • Subscriber FAQs
      • Subscription terms & conditions
      • Promotions and subscriber benefits
      NZME Network
      • Bay of Plenty Times
      • The New Zealand Herald
      • The Northland Age
      • The Northern Advocate
      • Waikato Herald
      • Rotorua Daily Post
      • Hawke's Bay Today
      • Whanganui Chronicle
      • Viva
      • NZ Listener
      • Newstalk ZB
      • BusinessDesk
      • OneRoof
      • Driven Car Guide
      • iHeart Radio
      • Restaurant Hub
      NZME
      • About NZME
      • NZME careers
      • Advertise with NZME
      • Digital self-service advertising
      • Book your classified ad
      • Photo sales
      • NZME Events
      • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
      TOP
      search by queryly Advanced Search