Wet June but warm winter expected | Taranaki News | Local News in Taranaki

TARANAKI has experienced a very wet June with all of regional rainfall recorder sites exceeding monthly normals for the month. The New Plymouth recorder in the Waiwhakaiho Valley recorded over twice the normal June amount of rainfall.
Overall, on average, Taranaki received 148% of normal rainfall for the month and for the year-to-date,  the region received 104% of its normal rain.
Taranaki Regional Council Hydrology Officer, Andrew Cotter, said two large storms dumped huge amounts of rain in many low lying areas of the region, including an event on June 6 and 7 when Kaupokonui at SH45 recorded 22.5mm in one hour, Cape Egmont received 37mm in one hour and Te Kiri received 41.5mm in one hour. Dawson Falls received 32mm in one hour, while Kahui Hut recorded 22mm in one hour.
Mr Cotter said the MetService issued multiple Severe Weather Watches and Warnings for the Taranaki region during June, which kept the TRC Hydrology team busy throughout many long wet nights during the month. The heavy rain caused a few streams and rivers to burst their banks, particularly the Okahu and Mangahume Streams as well as others in the broad area between Kaponga and Cape Egmont.
It was reported that in excess of 25 bridges and culverts sustained damage in this area during this rainfall event.
North Egmont recorded the highest one-day rainfall in New Zealand over June, when 198mm fell on June 28.
Overall, during June, North Egmont recorded 25 rain days, dropping 1030mm, which is 144% of normal.
At Dawson Falls there were 27 days of rain, with a monthly fall of 1152, 194% of normal.
In Stratford 269mm of rain fell over 23 days, recording 138% of normal.
Inglewood rainfall total for June was over 26 days depositing 294mm, 133% of normal for the month.
The rain that fell caused rivers to rise, very rapidly in some places during heavy rain. This rain caused the majority of Taranaki rivers to be above average water levels than what has historically be recorded for June. Minimum river flows were all well above historical lows.
Water temperatures in the rivers that TRC monitor were all around normal levels for the month, with an average water temperature of just over 10degC for the month.
Warm forecast
The NIWA National Climate Centre outlook for the rest of winter and into early spring 2010 says temperatures are likely to be above average for the time of year across much of the country. However, short-term cold snaps and frosty periods typical of winter will still occur.
Normal or below normal rainfalls are likely in the North Island, with near-normal rainfalls likely over much of the South Island.