It was the warmest month on record (of any month) for Taupo, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Paraparaumu, Wellington and Nelson. Tauranga equaled its warmest February and Dunedin observed a record hot February too. Many other locations, such as Hamilton, Masterton, Napier, Blenheim, Christchurch and Invercargill experienced their second warmest February.
MetService reports that the month was characterised by hot, dry spells interspersed by bursts of sub-tropical rain for the north and west of both Islands. In contrast, the lower North Island and eastern regions of both Islands received below normal rainfall.
The NZX Pasture Growth Index shows that national conditions for pasture growth dropped to well below average levels in the middle of February. However, conditions improved towards the end of the month and are forecast to continue improving through the first couple of weeks of March.
The 2015/2016 El Niño continues its slow decline in the tropical Pacific. Climate models indicate a return to neutral conditions by about June.
MetService expects a dry start to March for most regions, though more mobile weather systems such as cold fronts will return in the second week of March. Overall, above average March temperatures are forecast for all regions of the country except for Southland and Otago (where near average temperatures are predicted).
Above normal March rainfall totals are forecast for Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Southland and Otago, and along the West Coast South Island. Below normal rainfall is predicted for Gisborne and Hawkes Bay. In all other regions, near normal March rainfall is forecast – with the first half of the month on the dry side, while the second half of March should yield better rainfall.
