Whanganui's November drier than usual

Storm clouds have been a regular feature in Whanganui during the last two weeks. Photo / Isabella Gichard

November was a fickle, changeable month in Whanganui.

There were more northeast winds than usual, and there was less rain.

Sea level pressure was higher than normal to the south of the country, and lower than normal over the Tasman Sea. This pressure set-up led to more northeasterlies than normal.

Whanganui experienced the highest wind gust in the country for the month - 99km/h on November 1.

The month had some warm spells. For Whanganui, Taranaki and Taihape the temperature was 0.5 to 1.2C higher than average for November.

Palmerston North and Hawera both hit some temperature highs.

Toward the end of the month southeast winds predominated, and temperatures were cooler.

There was less rain than usual, and soil moisture in Whanganui and the Central Plateau was well below normal for the time.

It was a different story on the eastern and southern side of New Zealand. The northeast winds blew in lots of rain and temperatures were lower than average.

Oamaru got five times its usual amount of rain, and there were metres of flooding in Otago. Wairarapa, Hawke's Bay and Southland were also very wet.

When there were slips and flooding on the West Coast of the South Island on November 8-9, Whanganui got just 3.4mm of rain. When there was flooding in Otago on November 19-20, Whanganui got 15mm of rain.

The unsettled weather has continued into December, with south, southeast and now west and northwest winds bringing bouts of rain, thunder and hail. More than 15mm of rain has fallen on Whanganui since December began.