Tauranga experiences third driest September, says MetService

Cherry trees in bloom in the Otumoetai Rail Reserve on Otumoetai Rd are a sure sign spring is here, after Tauranga recorded one of its driest Septembers. Photo / John Borren

Tauranga's weather in September bucked the trend seen by the rest of the country with temperatures above average.

According to MetService meteorologist Georgina Griffiths, the city experienced its third driest September in 77 years.

"Tauranga had 39 per cent of the September normal rainfall. It was the third driest September at the airport site which has been in place since 1941.

"The city's temperature was one of the few that wasn't cooler than normal last month."

She said the average temperature for the month was 12.9C, which was 0.6C above the long-term norm.

In the MetService monthly report, most areas experienced temperatures close to average in September. In Rotorua for example, the difference was just 0.1C.

"Despite an extremely cold start to the month, temperatures rebounded in the middle of the month, and monthly temperatures ended up close to the September average in most areas. The exceptions were along the east coast of both islands," the monthly report said.

Federated Farmers Bay of Plenty president Darryl Jensen said the dry spell had been a nice reprieve from the wet winter for farmers.

"As a consequence of the relentless wet we had over June, July, August, our ground is very saturated, so it's great to have sunshine to dry things out."

Jensen said he felt as if spring was a few weeks late and concern over any potential dry spell was the furthest thing from any farmer's mind.

"I think farmers are just enjoying the sunshine and getting jobs done."

Looking ahead MetService expected October to bring "near average" rainfall and temperatures.

Griffiths said next week would be colder due to southwesterlies and temperatures would "yoyo" throughout the month.

Across the New Zealand coastline, sea temperatures varied considerably.

The prolonged cold southerly at the start of September significantly cooled North Island coastal waters, by over 2C in parts.

Sea temperatures rebounded in the middle of the month but cooled again at the end of September, according to the report.