June 1960: It was mild and rather cloudy, with an unusually high frequency of easterly winds. Farmers in some areas, mainly in Northland, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay, and Southland, were finding the ground too wet after considerable rain.

Rainfall:  Rainfall was considerably above average in eastern districts. North and central Canterbury and coastal Otago received double the normal value. On the Kaikoura Coast and north Canterbury coast it was one of the wettest Junes on record, with totals of 11-12”, of which 3/4 fell on the 19th-22nd. It was drier than average in Manawatu and on the Wairarapa plain, in the Buller district, and in parts of inland North Otago. Some stations in these areas had only half the normal rainfall. Heavy rain caused flooding in Northland and Gisborne on the 8th; in parts of Canterbury, Otago and Southland from the 19th to the 22nd; and in Northland and the Hauraki Plains on the 28th. A violent thunderstorm brought some brief but exceptionally heavy rain to the Christchurch area on the morning of the 13th. Many thunderstorms were also reported in the Auckland province on the 18th.

Temperatures: Temperatures were warmer than average, mainly by 1F-2F. Snow fell on the high country of the South Island on the 19th. Falls also occurred on the mountains of both islands on the 6th, 10th, 15th and 29th. Some unusually frosty weather was reported in parts of Central Otago during the last 6 days of the month. At Alexandra the temperature only rose above freezing point on two days of the six, and then by only 1F.

Sunshine: Sunshine was below average over the greater part of the country. The deficiency exceeded 20 hours in Central Otago, and also in parts of Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough and Taranaki. [Deficit at Blenheim was about 50 hours]. For Alexandra, with a total of 54 hours, it was the cloudiest June in 32 years of record. Northern Northland was favoured with 20-30 hours more than usual.

[Some totals: Te Hapua 155, Kaitaia 154, Kerikeri 143, Whangarei 133, Auckland 129, Tauranga 127, Whakatane 128, Taupo 105, Hamilton 113, New Plymouth 88, Masterton 113, Gisborne 125, Napier 127, Wairoa 121, Paraparaumu 109, Ohakea 108, Palmerston Nth 98, Levin 112, Wellington 83, Wanganui 94, Westport 106, Hokitika 111, Greymouth 97, Haast 110, Nelson 129, Blenheim 104, Grassmere 111, Kaikoura 95, Mt Cook 63, Methven 104, Christchurch 96, Tekapo 69, Timaru 93, Waimate 88, Omarama 94, Dunedin 81, Queenstown 64, Alexandra 54, Invercargill 64, Campbell Is 12, Chatham Is 54].


Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations) - additional comments by the poster.