March 1965:  March was exceptionally cloudy and wet in much of the country. Stock condition was generally good, but in some areas, especially in Hawkes Bay, Wellington province and Canterbury, harvesting and haymaking were delayed by excessive rain and water-logged ground. Dry conditions persisting in the Wairau Valley caused feed shortages there. Fog and low cloud caused a great many disruptions to airline operations in the latter half of the month. Smoke haze from Australian bushfires caused some spectacular sunrises and sunsets early in the month.

Rainfall: Rainfall was above average over most of the country, especially in Hawkes Bay, Wellington province, and near Christchurch. In some North Island areas rainfall was over 4 times the average, and in a few places the falls were the highest on record. Exceptionally heavy falls near the Ruahine ranges on the 17th-20th caused major floods in the Manawatu and Rangitikei Rivers, and there was some minor flooding and slip damage in the Hawkes Bay and Wellington provinces. Rainfalls were below half the average value near Blenheim, and were below average in Southland, North Westland, and Nelson.

Temperatures: Cold southerly and southwesterly winds near the beginning of the month brought a sharp drop in temperatures, with snow lying to below 3000’ in the ranges of both islands from Egmont and the Tongariro National Park south. Later in the month there were long periods when a mild north to northeast airstream prevailed over the country. Average temperatures were close to the long period average in most places. In the north and west of the North Island they were mainly below average, in Southland mainly above, and in Wellington about 1.5F below.

Sunshine: Sunshine was below average in most places, by 40-60 hours in the Wellington area and in Nelson and Canterbury, and by 20-30 hours elsewhere. Wanganui’s total of 104 hours [* highly suspect reading] was 89 hours below average and was the lowest in 28 years of observations.

[Some totals: Kaitaia 188, Kerikeri 174, Whangarei 165, Auckland 162, Tauranga 183, Whakatane 198, Taupo 153, Opotiki 189, Hamilton 138, New Plymouth 137, Masterton 158, Gisborne 181, Napier 178, Wairoa 191, Paraparaumu 141, Ohakea 136, Palmerston Nth 123, Levin 122, Wellington 143, Stratford 121, Ohakune 125, Wanganui 104(*), Westport 140, Hokitika 113, Greymouth 99, Haast 116, Riwaka 173, Nelson 157, Blenheim 177, Grassmere 165, Kaikoura 144, Mt Cook 122, Mt John 153, Methven 129, Christchurch 121, Tekapo 147, Timaru 97, Waimate 90, Dunedin Aero 133, Dunedin 124, Queenstown 151, Alexandra 158, Invercargill 139, Campbell Is 93 {2nd highest on record}, Chatham Is 126].


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