Source: Radio New Zealand
RNZ/ Mohammad Alafeshat
Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ) is expecting the rest of summer to remain warm and wet for many regions.
The organisation on Thursday has released its climate outlook for the next three months, heralding weak La Niña conditions expected to bring a mixed bag of weather.
The report showed that most of the North Island and areas of the South Island’s west coast were very likely to be average or warmer than average.
Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Central North Island, Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu and Wellington were most likely to get those higher temperatures – all given a 65 percent chance.
ESNZ Manager of Climate Atmosphere and Hazards Nava Fedaeff said the east coast of the South Island was the exception – due for average or below average temperatures – as predicted easterly winds were likely to bring frequent cloud and showers to that part of the country.
“For places like Christchurch that’s not necessarily a good recipe for a sunny summer.”
Despite the prediction of warmer weather, the North Island was still likely to get a few downpours, Fedaeff said.
“The door to the tropics is open over the next three months. We are in tropical cyclone season, there’s tropical lows and things like that. So we can’t rule out that some of these systems are going to make their way our way and deliver some heavy rainfall.”
The National Climate Centre outlook for 2026. Supplied
When all the weather factors combined, it looked like Otago was the perfect holiday spot for the rest of the summer.
“If you’re in Queenstown – above average temperatures, below average rainfall – sounds like the place to be.”
Sea surface temperatures around the country cooled markedly during December but remain generally above average, which meant nights would be particularly hot for the rest of the summer.
ESNZ also expected soil moisture levels and river flows to be near normal for the west of the North Island, and equally likely to be below normal or near normal for the rest of the country.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
