A brief summary of climate and hydrological conditions in the region.

This service is regularly updated during periods in which closer monitoring is required (regardless of time of the year), in recognition that there is potential for dry spells, or irregular hydrological recharging. It does not define an official council position on drought or drought declaration. Outside of dry periods, less frequent updates synchronise with our latest seasonal outlooks.

Updated 2 July 2025

Next update due when there is a significant change of conditions or a new seasonal outlook.

Background

Autumn has brought significant rainfall to most of the region, which continued into the first month of winter. Wellington, the south coast and the eastern Wairarapa coast were the key ‘hotspots’, with certain areas receiving a total accumulation more than 50% greater than the long-term seasonal average. Even though La Niña has been over for a while, the lingering effects of a blocking anticyclone east of New Zealand with some intermittent easterly flow, and atmospheric rivers with subtropical influences, have largely kept the rainfall above normal levels.

Autumn rainfall anomalies show above average rainfall for most of the region. A La Niña signature in the atmospheric flow is still lingering, with continuing bursts of easterly flow and subtropical influences even as winter progresses.
Autumn rainfall anomalies show above average rainfall for most of the region. A La Niña signature in the atmospheric flow is still lingering, with continuing bursts of easterly flow and subtropical influences even as winter progresses.
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Current situation

Soil moisture levels have returned to mostly above average, benefiting from the replenishing seasonal accumulations over a good part of the Wairarapa. At the same time, the rainfall over the main ranges has been mostly average, with less downstream impacts on the main catchments and river levels. 

Meteorological outlook

International climate models are predicting that the atmosphere will continue to be influenced by an intermittent easterly flow and occasional subtropical influences (e.g. atmospheric rivers).  Thanks to prevailing anticyclones, a regular frost pattern is expected during the first half of the season. As the cold season progresses, rainfall is expected to sit more around normal levels for the Wairarapa, and normal to above normal west of the main ranges. ENSO is expected to remain neutral for at least until the end of the year.

Climate change

The ‘normal’ longer-term water balance is becoming increasingly hard to maintain quite possibly due to climate change influences, and increased high frequency climate variability, with more unreliable weather patterns. Droughts are expected to become more severe and frequent in the Wellington region, particularly in the Wairarapa. Even if international climate policy efforts were to successfully contain global warming under 1.5-2 degrees (the Paris Agreement’s ambition), it is important that we enhance our water resilience and be prepared for more unreliable climate patterns with both extreme dry and extreme wet periods. We note that the warming of the land also means that evapotranspiration will greatly increase, so the soil will likely need more ongoing rain to maintain ideal moisture levels, compared to what it has needed in the past.

View the latest national drought index state

View the national drought forecasting dashboard

View the latest seasonal report:

Browse the data

Anomaly Maps

How different has recent rainfall/soil moisture been compared with the same time in previous years?

30 Day Rainfall Anomaly

90 Day Rainfall Anomaly

1 Day Soil Moisture Anomaly

30 Day Soil Moisture Anomaly

 

Site-specific graphs

Cumulative rainfall/soil moisture totals for indicator sites compared with historical averages and other recent years. 
Area Rainfall Soil Moisture
Kapiti Coast (lowland) Otaki at Depot  
Kapiti Coast (high altitude) Penn Creek at McIntosh  
Porirua Horokiri Stream at Battle Hill  
Wellington City Kaiwharawhara Stream at Karori Reservoir  
Hutt Valley (upper catchment) Hutt River at Kaitoke Headworks  
Upper Hutt Upper Hutt at Savage Park Upper Hutt at Savage Park AQ
Wainuiomata Wanuiomata River at Wainui Reservoir  
Wairarapa (high altitude) Waingawa River at Angle Knob  
Wairarapa Valley (north) Kopuaranga River at Mauriceville  
Wairarapa Valley (Masterton) Ruamahanga River at Wairarapa College Wairarapa College AQ
Wairarapa Valley (south) Tauherenikau River at Racecourse Tauherenikau River at Racecourse
Wairarapa (north-eastern hills) Whareama River at Tanawa Hut Whareama River at Tanawa Hut
Wairarapa (south-eastern hills) Waikoukou at Longbush Waikoukou at Longbush
Updated July 2, 2025 at 3:58 PM

Get in touch

Phone:
0800496734
Email:
info@gw.govt.nz