August 2006 Print

My August

Temperature: A mean temperature of 7.2C, August 2006 was slightly warmer at my station with a mean August temperature of 7.0C (7 years of records). The warmest August I've recorded was 2002 with a mean temperature of 8.0C. The warmest day was the 29th with 20.5C with warm west to nor'west winds. This was the warmest day since the 23rd April. The warmest August temperature I've recorded was 23.8C in 2002 with nor'west winds. Coldest temperature was -2.6C with a frosty morning on the 10th. The coldest August temperature I've recorded is -4.9C on 3rd Aug 2000 and the 16th Aug 2001. (Note: old temperature sensor in operation at the time, reading low)

Wind: The monthly wind run of 4091km is the lowest of the 5 Augusts I have records for. The windiest August was 2004 with a wind run of 5654km. Prevailing wind direction was south recorded 54% of the month, north east 20%, north 9%, west 8%, south west 7% and nor'west 2%. Maximum gust was 52km/h from the south on the 7th and the 22nd.

Rainfall: 40.0mm recorded on the 8th was the highest daily total for the month. The Heathcote River flooded some riverside streets in the St Martins area on that day. The monthly total was 154mm, the second highest August total for my station, the highest being 172.4mm in 2004 with a daily total of 73.4mm on the 6th Aug 2004. The lowest August total since 2000 at my station is 15.4mm in 2005. Snow: Snow fell on the Port Hills on the 14th. Sleet was seen here and parts of Christchurch reported snow showers on the evening of the 21st. Snow covered the Port Hills again on the 22nd and mostly melting by the end of the day on the 23rd.

Barometer: The highest pressure for the month was recorded on the 5th with 1030.5 hPa, the lowest 993.3 hPa on the 13th. No previous barometer history.

Summary of August 2006
Temperature
Mean 7.2 C
Mean Maximum 13.2 C
Mean Minimum 2.5 C
Maximum High 20.5 C (29th)
Maximum Low 6.3 C (4th)
Minimum High 6.7 C (8th)
Minimum Low -2.6 C (10th)
Wind Speed and Direction
Maximum Gust 52 km/h (7th & 22nd)
Mean 5.6 km/h
Wind Run 4091 km
Max Daily Windrun 392 km (8th)
Prevailing Direction South
Barometer
Maximum 1030.5 hPa (5th)
Minimum 993.3 hPa (13th)
Mean 1011.4 hPa
Max Daily Change -23.4 hPa (6th)
Rainfall
Days with Measured Rainfall (Greater than 0.2mm) 11
Max Daily Rainfall 40.0 mm (8th)
Monthly Rainfall 154.0 mm
Humidity
Maximum 99 % (several days)
Minimum 29 % (31st)

August Daily Observations
Temperature Wind Rainfall Barometer
Date Min Max Mean Mean
(Km/h)		 Gust
(Km/h)		 Run (km) Prevailing Dir 10 Minute Max (mm) Total (mm) Min (hPa) Max (hPa) Change (hPa)
1 3.4 18.0 9.1 1.5 13 34 North 0 0 1010.2 1014.7 +4.5
Sunny with light breezes.
2 2.9 9.2 6.3 2.5 17 60 South 0.2 1.0 1008.9 1014.7 -5.8
Morning drizzle clearing but remaining overcast with further showers in the evening. Southerly winds.
3 6.0 9.9 7.4 3.4 20 79 South 0 0 1008.0 1018.9 +10.9
Morning fog and low cloud. Overcast with some morning drizzle. Cloud breaking later in the afternoon, cool southerly breeze.
4 6.3 12.5 8.3 0.5 11 13 South 0.2 0.2 1019.1 1026.8 +7.7
Morning fog. Low cloud lifting and breaking for a time in the afternoon but returning by evening
5 2.8 13.1 6.4 1.5 15 36 South 0 0 1026.4 1030.5 -4.1
Morning fog and low cloud clearing around midday. Sunny with patchy cloud in the afternoon. Light breezes.
6 3.0 7.0 5.5 4.2 19 99 South 1.0 9.2 1002.7 1026.1 -23.4
Overcast with drizzle turning to light rain in the evening. Cold southerly winds.
7 5.8 8.2 6.7 16.3 52 385 South 1.0 35.2 994.3 1002.2 +7.9
Overcast with low cloud, rain all day and gusty southerly winds in the afternoon. Windiest day since the 12th May.
8 4.6 6.7 5.7 16.6 45 392 South 1.2 40.0 1008.0 1012.4 +11.6
Rain and cold southerly winds. The Heathcote River flooded some streets in the St Martins area.
9 -1.2 8.1 4.2 7.9 35 187 South 0.4 2.0 1008.4 1014.2 -5.8
Morning showers clearing. A mostly sunny afternoon with a cool southerly wind.
10 -2.6 8.9 3.0 1.8 15 42 South 0.2 0.2 1001.3 1008.3 -7.0
Morning frost. Sunny with light winds, some high cloud in the afternoon.
11 0.9 9.0 5.1 2.5 21 59 South 0.6 2.0 1003.3 1006.3 +3.0
Cloud increasing mid morning with a period of rain. Cloud breaking in the afternoon, light southerly winds.
12 1.5 15.9 6.1 6.9 47 164 North East 0 0 992.6 1003.7 -11.1
Cloud clearing to a sunny morning with NE winds turning through north to west with a brief period of mild air before a cold gusty southly change early in the afternoon. A few spots of rain during the afternoon. Wind easing and cloud clearing in the evening.
13 -0.9 13.0 5.2 4.0 31 96 South 0.8 4.4 992.3 1000.2 +7.9
Morning frost. Some high cloud but mostly sunny with a cool southerly wind. Showers with hail in the evening.
14 2.6 8.2 5.2 14.5 45 342 South 1.0 24.4 1000.1 1016.8 +16.7
Rain with cold gusty southerly winds and snow on the Port Hills. Clearing to showers in the afternoon with cloud breaking and winds easing.
15 2.2 10.8 5.1 3.5 29 83 South 0 0 1017.0 1023.2 +6.2
Morning cloud clearing to a sunny afternoon with light southerly winds.
16 -1.3 14.1 4.9 1.5 14 35 North East 0 0 1018.5 1022.0 -3.5
Morning frost, clear and sunny with light breezes tending NE in the afternoon.
17 -1.1 16.9 7.1 3.5 25 83 North East 0 0 1019.5 1023.9 -4.4
Sunny with some high cloud in the afternoon. Northerly breezes turning cooler NE later in the afternoon.
18 2.8 19.3 9.7 3.9 30 91 North West 0 0 1013.5 1019.9 -6.4
High cloud thinning and finally clearing by mid afternoon with mild nor'westerlies.
19 5.8 19.5 11.9 5.3 34 126 West 0 0 1008.7 1013.5 -4.8
Mild afternoon temperatures with a west to nor'west wind. Variable high cloud.
20 3.9 16.9 9.7 4.5 29 108 West 0 0 1003.6 1009.7 6.1
Some morning high cloud clearing. Mild westerly winds from mid morning. Cloud increasing in the afternoon.
21 0.8 14.8 7.1 7.8 49 182 South 1.2 24.2 994.3 1004.4 -10.1
Some high cloud with west to nor'west winds in the morning. A southerly change with rain from mid afternoon with colder southerly air bringing sleet here and snow in other parts of Christchurch.
22 0.7 8.3 3.7 14.2 52 336 South 1.0 7.4 1000.5 1012.8 +12.3
Broken cloud in the morning with sunny intervals. Southerly winds increasing and showers with hail in the afternoon clearing during the evening.
23 -1.6 9.4 3.7 3.4 24 79 South 0 0 1013.0 1018.0 +5.0
Cloud breaking and finally clearing late afternoon. Cool southerly breeze.
24 -0.3 12.3 6.8 5.9 26 139 North East 0 0 1005.0 1016.9 -11.9
High cloud with NE winds.
25 2.2 18.9 9.9 2.0 20 46 West 0 0 1004.8 1007.6 +2.8
Sunny with light, mild nor'west to west breezes. Some cloud in the afternoon.
26 5.8 10.3 7.6 6.3 28 149 South 0 0 1004.1 1010.3 +6.2
Cloudy with a few spots of rain at times, cool southerly winds.
27 5.8 12.6 8.2 5.8 24 137 South 0.8 1.8 1010.3 1019.9 +9.6
Early morning showers. Broken morning cloud clearing to a sunny day with light southerly breezes. Cooler NE wind from late afternoon.
28 4.2 17.1 9.5 6.1 32 144 North East 0 0 1013.3 1019.8 +6.5
Clear and sunny morning. High cloud increasing in the afternoon with west to nor'west winds.
29 3.6 20.5 10.7 2.7 25 63 North East 0 0 1015.6 1020.0 +4.4
First day over 20C since April. Sunny with north to north east breezes.
30 3.7 18.9 9.5 5.4 34 128 North 0 0 1016.6 1021.8 +5.2
Morning high cloud breaking and clearing for a time. Cooler NE winds with cloud increasing during the afternoon with a few spots of rain near the Port Hills.
31 6.0 19.7 13.0 6.7 43 158 West 0 0 1007.5 1019.6 -12.1
High cloud with sun getting through at times. Mild west to nor'west winds.

August 2006 temperature graph
August 2006 wind direction graph
August 2006 wind speed graph August 2006 rainfall graph August 2006 barograph August 2006 humidity graph
 

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