Author Topic: NZ weather summary July 1973  (Read 3671 times)

Offline Rwood

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NZ weather summary July 1973
« on: March 23, 2012, 06:27:26 PM »
July 1973: Barometric pressures were exceptionally high to the south of New Zealand and over the South Island this month and easterly quarter winds were unusually frequent. It was a sunny month and also dry – in the South Island one of the driest Julys on record. The absence of storms was beneficial to stock, but some farmers in both Islands found conditions too dry. The lack of rain, following comparatively dry conditions since the beginning of the year, affected hydro-electric supplies, causing shortages. Lake Taupo was reported to be particularly low.  [Met. Observations for 1973 notes the year as being “about equal with 1914 and 1930 as the driest year for which there are a reasonable number of reliable records, i.e. since about 1900”].
 
Rainfall: Over the South Island rainfall averaged only 1/3 of the normal value. On the West Coast, in the Alps, and the Canterbury high country and over most of Otago it was less than a quarter of the normal. Over the North Island rainfall was mainly half the average value. However, in most of Northland and parts of Coromandel it was above normal. Flooding occurred in and around Whangarei on the 16th after 150-200mm of rain in a day.

473mm rainfall at Glenbervie (near Whangarei), 72 mm at Milford (lowest), 36mm at Mt Cook (2nd lowest), 1mm at Tekapo (equal lowest).

Temperatures: Temperatures were close to normal.The mildest part of the month was from the 16th to the 23rd, in northeasterlies. As in June, little or no snow was recorded on the main ranges. [This changed radically for parts of Canterbury in early August].

-9.8C minimum at Omarama on the 14th.

Sunshine:
Sunshine was above normal by 30-80 hours over the greater part of the South Island and also over a considerable area extending from Kapiti north-eastward to Bay of Plenty. Totals were below normal by 15-50 hours east of the main ranges in the North Island and around Christchurch and Alexandra. The highest July sunshine in 30-40 years of observation was recorded by New Plymouth with 194 hours and Westport with 182 hours. Taumaranui and Ohakune were also favoured with exceptionally high sunshine for July. [New Plymouth Aero had a remarkable total of 214hrs; several sites had more than 60% above average values].

[Some totals:  Kaitaia 143, Kerikeri 115, Whangarei 108, Leigh 125, Auckland 157, Tauranga 178, Whakatane 199, Taupo 162, Opotiki 182, Auckland Aero 163, Hamilton 157, New Plymouth Aero 214, Masterton 97, Gisborne 103, Napier 116, Wairoa 102, Paraparaumu 179, Ohakea 165, Kairanga 157, Palmerston North 136, Levin 177, Wellington 113, Stratford 192, Ohakune 170, Wanganui 177, Takaka 184, Westport 183, Hokitika 176, Greymouth 165, Haast 168, Riwaka 181, Nelson 185, Blenheim 191, Grassmere 176, Kaikoura 142, Mt Cook 106, Mt John 175, Methven 151, Christchurch 104, Tekapo n/a, Timaru 128, Waimate 122, Omarama 128, Palmerston 159, Dunedin Aero 136, Dunedin 134, Oamaru 135, Queenstown 113, Alexandra 85, Invercargill 114, Raoul Is 154, Campbell Is 15, Chatham Is 60].

Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations).
« Last Edit: August 02, 2019, 05:22:52 PM by Rwood »



Offline Rwood

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Re: NZ weather summary July 1973
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2019, 05:25:39 PM »
Some remarkably high sunshine totals, and a benign winter to date - but August was different.


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