Figure A3.8: Projected changes in seasonal precipitation (in %) relative to 1990 for 2070-2099 (2080s): low end of IPCC range

Text description of figure

For the low end of full IPCC range of global warming, this figure displays the projected changes in seasonal precipitation across New Zealand (in percentage terms) relative to 1990 for the 2080s. In all seasons there is a general west to east gradient of precipitation changes over New Zealand, and is much more pronounced than in the corresponding projections for the 2030s. For summer, autumn and winter eastern districts are expected to receive more than 20 percent less precipitation than in 1990, while western districts of both islands could expect from five percent more to 20 percent less. In spring the North Island and the northern half of the South Island is projected to receive less than 80 percent of the rainfall amounts in 1990, and the rest of the South Island between 5 percent and 20 percent less.