January 2021

A typical January from my records;

  • An average temperature of 17.4C.
  • Maximum temperature expected about 34C.
  • Minimum temperature expected about 6C.
  • Twenty four days are expected to reach or exceed 20C.
  • Twelve days are expected to reach or exceed 25C.
  • Five days are expected to reach or exceed 30C.
  • No days are expected to reach or exceed 35C on average though 4 January days have done in 2009,2016 and 2 days in 2018
  • Wind run would be around 5400km with the windiest day expected to have a wind run of 320km.
  • Maximum wind gust would be in the region of 60km/h.
  • There would be rain on 8 days with the monthly total of around 50mm.

Rain totals for the month and year along with temperature and wind comparisons can be found here.

January Daily Observations
TemperatureWindRainfallBarometer
DateMinMaxMeanMean
(Km/h)		Gust
(Km/h)		Run (km)Prevailing Dir10 Minute Max (mm)Total (mm)Min (hPa)Max (hPa)Change (hPa)
1 14.6 22.6 17.3 8.1 37 182 East Nth East 0 0 1010.7 1018.5 -7.8
Morning cloud breaking with sunny intervals, cloud increasing later in the afternoon, NE winds freshening in the afternoon.
2 15.0 20.0 16.3 6.3 25 144 East Nth East 0.4 2.0 1008.5 1012.6 -4.1
Overcast with morning drizzle and occasional afternoon showers, NE wind.
Wild weather: South Island flooding causes havoc, more than 1000 lightning strikes detected across the North Island
3 13.7 25.6 18.6 4.1 26 92 East Nth East 0.2 0.4 1008.8 1013.4 +4.6
Morning cloud breaking. A few spots of rain around midday but a mostly sunny and warm afternoon. Light NE winds.
Severe thunderstorm brings torrential rain and hail to Timaru and Waimate
4 10.0 27.2 17.5 6.2 33 141 East Nth East 0 0 1013.7 1021.4 +7.7
Warm morning with variable breezes tending northerly. Cooler NE wind from midday.
5 13.5 21.0 16.7 7.2 34 164 East Nth East 0 0 1013.7 1021.9 -8.2
Cloud increasing and a few spots of rain in the afternoon. NE winds freshening in the evening.
6 13.5 21.4 17.2 7.1 32 162 East Nth East 0.2 0.6 1009.0 1017.2 -8.2
Morning drizzle clearing and cloud breaking by midday to a sunny and mild afternoon. NE wind.
7 15.4 31.3 20.8 7.7 31 176 East Nth East 0.2 1.0 999.4 1008.7 -9.3
Morning cloud breaking then sunny and hot with light southerly winds from midday. Showers in the afternoon and evening.
Hey, Niwa – what happened to our long, hot summer?
8 12.3 19.0 14.6 11.0 35 251 South Sth West 0.2 1.6 1002.9 1011.4 +8.5
Overcast with morning drizzle. Cloud breaking with sunny intervals in the afternoon, cool southerly winds.
9 11.6 22.2 16.3 5.0 32 112 East Nth East 0 0 1008.8 1013.3 +4.5
Overcast and calm morning. Cloud breaking with NE wind in the afternoon.
10 12.4 21.3 16.6 7.3 33 162 East Nth East 0.6 1.4 1004.1 1013.5 -9.4
Morning showers and drizzle clearing and cloud breaking to a sunny and mild afternoon. NE wind.
11 12.3 18.3 15.1 6.5 29 147 East Nth East 0 0 1007.2 1021.4 +14.2
Cloudy with a southerly wind turning NE about midday.
12 14.6 20.8 17.1 10.6 41 243 East Nth East 0 0 1019.8 1022.4 -2.6
Morning cloud with some drizzle. Cloud breaking in the afternoon with a freshening NE wind.
47 months and counting without a colder-than-normal month - when will it break?
13 14.9 29.9 20.3 3.9 24 88 East Nth East 0 0 1017.6 1021.1 -3.5
Morning low cloud breaking and clearing by midday. Sunny and warm with light variable winds tending NE.
14 15.4 27.5 18.8 5.9 25 134 East Nth East 0 0 1013.8 1018.1 -4.3
Low cloud breaking and clearing after midday to a sunny afternoon, hazy with increasing cloud later in the afternoon. west to SW winds turning NE later in the afternoon.
Christchurch residents restricted to watering gardens on alternate days
15 15.6 24.7 18.8 6.5 34 148 East Nth East 0 0 1010.2 1015.6 -5.4
Morning cloud breaking to a sunny day with NE winds freshening later in the afternoon.
16 16.0 20.7 17.9 13.1 47 299 East Nth East 0 0 1000.4 1010.9 -10.5
Cloudy with a fresh NE wind.
17 15.1 27.9 20.1 10.4 44 248 East Nth East 1.2 3.2 984.5 1000.0 -15.5
Morning cloud and a period or rain before midday. Cloud breaking and winds turning warm northerly in the afternoon.
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