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Annual distribution of sunshine like the PNW experiences is totally absent in this area and most of NZ. Extended wet/cloudy or sunny spells can happen at any time of the year. It's a fundamental difference between the NZ and PNW marine climates.
Winter/spring rainfall is higher, but not at any great cost to sunshine percentages.
Even the seasonal rainfall variabilities are much less than what is generally thought, especially in the drier climates (Central Otago excepted, where winter is the driest season). Over most of the South Island the driest 3-month period averages at least 75% of the rainfall in the wettest 3-month period, and for a significant part of the North Island the same applies at the 70% level. Quite a few SI places have that value at at least 85%, and a few at 90%.
The sunniest recorded months at NZ sites in % possible terms include examples from all months of the year, with the 2 highest readings being recorded in a July, as I have noted previously on this forum.
next to san diego singapore is the greatest place on earth. but then again, like gloria on the hood used to tell me, huck when u got money everyplace is mardi gras.
Winter cloudiness in Nelson & Blenheim is scarcely more than in summer & early autumn. The cloudiest period in both is late spring, but the range over the seasons is only a few percent. The wettest month at Blenheim averages only 66mm.
The fact that NZ has virtually no seasonal variation in precip. is interesting - thanks for pointing that out. However, that doesn't exclude it from being in the same climatic classification as the Pacific NW, northwest Europe, southern Chile, Melbourne, and Tasmania. Basically the bottom line is that none of the marine west coast climates have enough of a summer moisture deficit to prevent the development of vegetation that requires humid conditions to thrive. Geographers generally do not consider the small dry period in the PNW (and other similar areas) to be pronounced enough to warrant a different climatic classification from New Zealand (mostly because summer temperatures are relatively low).
Regarding sunshine - Philadelphia (where I also lived) is reported to average 2490 annual hours. So the sunniest spot in NZ still does not match what the wet northeastern US has. Denver averages over 3100. That being the case, it's not unreasonable to say that if you like sunshine, there's really no place in NZ that's particularly good (although some are better than others). But given your info. I'd rather spend the summer in Seattle then Nelson and the winter in Nelson rather then Seattle.
The fact that NZ has virtually no seasonal variation in precip. is interesting - thanks for pointing that out. However, that doesn't exclude it from being in the same climatic classification as the Pacific NW, northwest Europe, southern Chile, Melbourne, and Tasmania. Basically the bottom line is that none of the marine west coast climates have enough of a summer moisture deficit to prevent the development of vegetation that requires humid conditions to thrive. Geographers generally do not consider the small dry period in the PNW (and other similar areas) to be pronounced enough to warrant a different climatic classification from New Zealand (mostly because summer temperatures are relatively low).
Regarding sunshine - Philadelphia (where I also lived) is reported to average 2490 annual hours. So the sunniest spot in NZ still does not match what the wet northeastern US has. Denver averages over 3100. That being the case, it's not unreasonable to say that if you like sunshine, there's really no place in NZ that's particularly good (although some are better than others). But given your info. I'd rather spend the summer in Seattle then Nelson and the winter in Nelson rather then Seattle.
Average sunshine in Nelson in the last 20 years or so has been above 2500 hours - 30-year mean to 2010 was about 2475 but the site placement was slightly disadvantaged for the first 16 years or so of that period. When that span of years has rolled off its average will be well clear of 2500 on current trends. And then there's also the question of comparability of sunshine measurements in the two countries - a tricky matter that has already been talked about at length on this forum, and inconclusively in my opinion. I have no desire to re-enter a discussion on it.
Average sunshine in Nelson in the last 20 years or so has been above 2500 hours - 30-year mean to 2010 was about 2475 but the site placement was slightly disadvantaged for the first 16 years or so of that period. When that span of years has rolled off its average will be well clear of 2500 on current trends. And then there's also the question of comparability of sunshine measurements in the two countries - a tricky matter that has already been talked about at length on this forum, and inconclusively in my opinion. I have no desire to re-enter a discussion on it.
I'll bet at the very least Nelson has over 2400 hours(wiki reference), and probably moreso 2500 hours. Nelson looks beautiful, as does pretty much all of New Zealand. I wish it was as easy as on Star Trek to just beam myself to different parts of Earth (forget about other planets). I wanna see this entire planet that we are lucky enough to call home.
next to san diego singapore is the greatest place on earth. but then again, like gloria on the hood used to tell me, huck when u got money everyplace is mardi gras.
Average sunshine in Nelson in the last 20 years or so has been above 2500 hours - 30-year mean to 2010 was about 2475 but the site placement was slightly disadvantaged for the first 16 years or so of that period. When that span of years has rolled off its average will be well clear of 2500 on current trends. And then there's also the question of comparability of sunshine measurements in the two countries - a tricky matter that has already been talked about at length on this forum, and inconclusively in my opinion. I have no desire to re-enter a discussion on it.
I think Motueka is similar, which is impressive given the 1400 mm annual rainfall.
Even the seasonal rainfall variabilities are much less than what is generally thought, especially in the drier climates (Central Otago excepted, where winter is the driest season). Over most of the South Island the driest 3-month period averages at least 75% of the rainfall in the wettest 3-month period, and for a significant part of the North Island the same applies at the 70% level. Quite a few SI places have that value at at least 85%, and a few at 90%.
The sunniest recorded months at NZ sites in % possible terms include examples from all months of the year, with the 2 highest readings being recorded in a July, as I have noted previously on this forum.
Where do you think the greatest dry/wet ratio is?. I calculated 57% for here.
Where do you think the greatest dry/wet ratio is?. I calculated 57% for here.
(Using longterm records):
For single months - Ophir, Alexandra, Middlemarch and Akaroa all have about 42% (driest/wettest). Other parts of Central Otago and Banks peninsula are probably similar. Some parts of the NI are in the 46-50% range. Parts of western Southland and central lowland Canterbury are in the 80-85 range.
For 3-month seasons - lowest values around 50%, highest just over 90%.
Interestingly, the only month of the year (using a list of about 130 stations) that doesn't feature as both a wettest and driest somewhere is May - no station has it as the driest month. But differences are small for some sites and that could change.
Singapore, Congo, Nigeria, Ghana, Malaysia, Thailand...
Most of China is very close to F though.
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