The heavy rain on Boxing Day and heavy flow in the rivers left another layer of driftwood and debris on Gisborne's beaches in the days following. Niwa says it was the city's second wettest December since records began in 1905. Photo / Murray Robertson
The heavy rain on Boxing Day and heavy flow in the rivers left another layer of driftwood and debris on Gisborne's beaches in the days following. Niwa says it was the city's second wettest December since records began in 1905. Photo / Murray Robertson
New data reveals the weather highs and lows Gisborne experienced throughout 2024, including long dry spells and record winds.
The latest annual climate summary and monthly report from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa), both released on Wednesday, confirmed the December rainfall total in Gisborne was thesecond highest for that month since its records began in 1905.
While Gisborne experienced its second wettest December since 1905, Mahia had its wettest December on record.
The Niwa figures show 270 millimetres fell at Mahia, 230mm at Gisborne Airport and 260mm in Wairoa - its second-highest December total since 1964.
Gisborne Boxing Day rainfall of 74mm, recorded by Niwa, was the third-highest daily total since 1937, whereas Mahia’s tally of 86mm that day was the highest since records there began in 1990.
Wairoa’s 87mm was the third-highest daily total since 1967.
Wind gusts in Gisborne reached 104km/h on December 19, the highest in December since 1972.
At Mahia, it got up to 107km/h on December 27, the highest since 1991.
Niwa's latest climate summary and monthly confirmed Gisborne's December rainfall total was the second highest for that month here since its records began in 1905. It also blew. A gust of 104km/h on the 19th was the highest recorded for the month in Gisborne since 1972.
Dry days in February
Gisborne was one of several locations that experienced lengthy dry spells (consecutive days with less than 1mm of rain) during February - a run of 23 days.
The region saw above average temperatures (0.51C-1.20C above average) during that month.
May rainfall was above normal (120-149% of normal) or well above normal (greater than 149% of normal) for several regions, including Gisborne.
