May 2007 Drier, Windier, Warmer

Tawa’s climate during May 2007 was drier and windier, with temperatures similar to those recorded in 2005 which was warmer than 2003, 2004 and 2006. The average monthly temperature was 2 degrees higher than the value calculated for May last year, and nearly 1 degree higher than that calculated for 2005.

Automatic and manual readings taken at Tawa since 2003 can be summarised as follows:

The lowest May temperatures were 4 °C (2003), 1 °C (2004), 3.2 °C (2005), 2.2 °C (2006), 4.7 °C (2007).
The average daily low temperatures were 9 °C (2003), 9 °C (2004), 10 °C (2005), 9 °C (2006), 10 °C (2007).
The highest May temperatures were 18 °C (2003), 19 °C (2004), 20.8 °C (2005), 18.1 °C (2006), 19.7 °C (2007).
The average daily high temperatures were 15 °C (2003), 16 °C (2004), 16 °C (2005), 15 °C (2006), 16 °C (2007).

Average temperature: 12.9 °C (2005), 11.7 °C(2006), 13.7 °C (2007).
Average humidity: 88% (2005), 89% (2006), 86% (2007)

Days with frost: 1 (2003), none (2004), none (2005) none (2006), none (2007).
Days with rain: 12 (2003), 14 (2004), 13 (2005), 17 (2006), 9 (2007).
Days with thunderstorms: none (2003), none (2004), 1 (2005), none (2006), 1 (2007).
Days with hail: none (2003), none (2004), none (2005), none (2006), none (2007).
Days with strong winds: 4 (2003), 4 (2004), 6 (2005), 2 (2006), 13 (2007).
Flood events: none (2003) none (2004), none (2005), none (2006), none (2007).
Rainfall: 118 mm (2005), 109 mm (2006) 44 mm (2007).

May 2003 started with steady rain on the 2nd, and featured an autumnal downpour just after midnight on the 5th. Early risers were greeted by a frost on the 6th and an air temperature of 1 °C. Strong nor’westerly gales blew for most of the 10th, and calmer conditions then returned. A gusty northerly brought showers on the 19th and 20th, and heavy rain fell on the morning of the 22nd. Conditions again eased until a gusty nor’wester arose on the 30th and 31st.

May 2004 began with 3 days of rain and drizzle and featured three heavy downpours at midnight, 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. on the 4th. Later that day winds from the northwest were gusty and then blew to severe gale on the 5th. Gale force winds continued on the 6th before easing the following day. Calmer conditions then prevailed for the rest of the month.

May 2005 continued the warmer trend which had been experienced during the summer. Steady rain on the 2nd was followed by a downpour just after midnight on the 3rd. Rainy, drizzly conditions with low cloud then prevailed until the 5th. Gusty northerlies late on the 7th were followed by strong southerlies on the 8th. Calmer sunny days then followed until gusty northerlies arose on the 14th. Calm condition then returned, and fog filled the valley on the 20th. Low cloud and drizzly conditions then applied until early on the 22nd. Gusty northerlies blew on the 28th and 29th, followed by gusty southerlies on the 30th. A thunderstorm provided some entertainment overnight on the 29th and 30th.

May 2006 started with low cloud on the 1st and drizzly rain set in on the evening of the 3rd and prevailed until late on the 7th. A cold southerly arrived on the 12th and became gusty that evening. Another southerly arose on the evening of the 14th, and soon rose to gale force, continuing through until late on the 15th. Calm conditions returned and low cloud was noted on the 23rd, and the valley hosted fog on the 24th. Steady rain on the 26th yielded to low cloud and drizzle on the 27th. Low cloud or fog was noted on 5 days during the month.

May 2007 continued the dry trend that had been set during the main part of summer. Active weather conditions started the month with steady rain and low cloud on the 1st. A thunderstorm and downpour early on the morning of the 2nd, and another downpour later that night accounted for 19 mm of rain, nearly half of the month’s total rainfall. A cold southerly on the 3rd gave way to still, sunny conditions which applied until a strong northerly stirred things up on the afternoon of the 5th. The 6th was a dreary day of low cloud, mist and drizzle, but a strong nor’easter on the 7th blew that away and pleasant sunny days returned.

Strong winds gusting from north-east to north-west brought rain and showers on the 10th and 11th followed by sunny still conditions from the 12th until the 19th with brief northerlies on the 14th and 16th. Showers and low cloud ushered in a dark, gloomy day on the 20th with northerlies turning to a north-east gale with showers the following day. A sickly yellow glow followed dawn on the 22nd, and a nor’west gale brought showers on the 23rd, before it turned to the north and slowly eased by dawn on the 25th. Sunny still conditions then dominated until the afternoon of the 31st when a strong northerly slowly arose.

Leave a Reply