NZ weather summary March 1967

[Rwood]

March 1967:  Rather cloudy and warm, with an unusually high frequency of northeasterly winds. Over almost all the North Island moisture was adequate, and growth was good in many districts. In the South Island the dry conditions of previous months persisted, especially in Otago and Southland, where feed was getting short in some areas.

Rainfall: Rainfall was above average over most of the North Island and in western and many inland districts in the South Island. It was more than double the average on Coromandel Peninsula, in parts of Waikato, eastern Bay of Plenty and also over most of Westland. Rainfall was below average by 25% or more over most of Southland, North Otago, North Canterbury, and Marlborough; also parts of Taihape and South Taranaki. During a thunderstorm at Whakatane on the evening of the first, 0.5” was recorded in 10 minutes, and 4” in 2 hours. Flooding caused some damage. A spell of northerly winds from the 8th to the 10th with a slow-moving trough over the South Island caused persistent heavy rain over the West Coast and in the Alps, with totals over the three days of 20” and more. Serious flooding was reported in Greymouth. Flooding also occurred in parts of Bay of Plenty after heavy rain on the 23rd-24th, with 2-day totals of up to 10”.

[Milford Sound had 13.60” on the 10th and over 39” for the month, followed by a very high April total. 1967 was the first year since 1958 for which Milford had significantly above-average rainfall.]

Temperatures: For the first time since March 1966 temperatures were warmer than average over the whole country, mainly by 1F-2F. The warmest period was 4-11 March, in a spell of persistent northerly winds.

Sunshine: Sunshine was close to average or below average over almost the whole country. [Surplus at Invercargill and Ohakune, also parts of Manawatu]. Greatest deficiencies of about 40 hours were recorded in Northland, Nelson, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay.

[Some totals: Kaitaia 165, Kerikeri 127, Whangarei 128, Auckland 175, Tauranga 177, Whakatane 179, Taupo 175, Opotiki 180, Hamilton 181, New Plymouth 189, Masterton 162, Gisborne 158, Napier 165, Wairoa 165, Paraparaumu 185, Ohakea 186, Palmerston North 177, Levin 172, Wellington 184, Stratford 179, Ohakune 196, Wanganui 179, Westport 152, Hokitika 158, Greymouth 141, Haast 152, Riwaka 189, Nelson 174, Blenheim 182, Grassmere 171, Kaikoura 174, Mt Cook 127, Mt John 202, Methven 148, Christchurch 144, Tekapo 194, Timaru 125, Waimate 123, Omarama 157, Dunedin Airport 162, Dunedin 144, Oamaru 146, Queenstown 160, Alexandra 179, Invercargill 161, Campbell Is 58, Chatham Is 169 {record high}].

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[Rwood]

Easter brought several days of settled anticyclonic weather. At Alexandra the weather was delightful - blue-dome days with light breezes and highs of about 22C, slightly coolish nights. Although it wasn’t a sunny month in Dunedin, warmer than average temperatures and fairly low rainfall made for quite a pleasant autumn month. Pressures were high over the country, with the average of 1021.7 at Kelburn still being the 3rd highest for March in almost a century of records.