South Canterbury Weather 2009

 

 

With all the current talk about the environment, climate change and future extreme weather being the single most important issue facing mankind, the alarmists in the National Weather Office are strangely silent when it comes to what Mother Nature has in store for Canterbury and S Canterbury just for next year.  Ken Ring’s Predict Weather Almanac 2009 is now in bookshops.  Here are some extracts as to what he thinks may be in store for our region.

 

Summer

Summer may be wetter than average overall.  A dry December may be followed by a hot and dry January, with fire risk in the east of both islands.  The top of the SI and Canterbury may be the sunniest.  But in February most areas may be cloudier, with record high rainfall for many.  Canterbury and S Canterbury may be warmer than the norm, but Timaru may be slightly cooler.

 

Autumn

In March all areas could be sunnier than normal, in April Canterbury may be cloudier and in May all areas should be slightly sunnier.  In April less than average rain may come to Methven, Rangitatata and Oamaru.  The rest should be average to wetter. In May, expect drier figures for Canterbury, but wetter for Ashburton.  Christchurch and Ashburton may be warmer than average.

 

Winter  

The first blast of a long cold winter may be in late May, with snow in early June.  Winter may start drier and stay slightly drier until August, but colder in the south and with snow expected through to October.  August may be the most wintry month.

 

June may be sunnier apart from N Canterbury on cloudier figures.  July and August may deliver average sun but N Canterbury and inland Otago may be cloudier.  July may be drier overall but August should deliver more precipitation than average and is likely to be a month remembered more for its winds.  In July all between Darfield and Rakaia may be wetter than average, also Ashburton to Timaru.  Canterbury and Central Otago are likely to suffer a deep freeze, bringing joy to skiers and alarm to farmers.  The Shotover River could even ice over in late July.  Over August, from Kaikoura to Dunedin should be drier than the norm.  The southern hydrolakes may be wetter than average.  In August Canterbury and S Canterbury may be sunnier than average. 

 

Spring

Overall, spring may deliver less than average sunshine.  In September, Ashburton may have average sun.  In November, Christchurch southwards may be cloudier.  In September, Rakaia, Rangitata, Oamaru and the southern hydrolakes may be wetter than the September norm, affected by a series of depressions.  S Canterbury may have a dry October and a wetter than normal November.  Christchurch and Ashburton may be on average to warmer temperatures. 

 

 

Early summer

Canterbury and S Canterbury may be cloudier.  December may deliver average rain to Canterbury.  For the start of the summer season all districts may be cooler or average to cooler.  Xmas may be wet for Ashburton; from a depression coming down the Australian eastern seaboard and crossing New Zealand 25th-28th.  S Canterbury skies may then clear after Xmas.

 

© Ken Ring