New Zealand Local Weather Forum
Weather Discussion => Historical => 1970 - 1974 => Topic started by: Rwood on March 13, 2012, 07:30:28 PM
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July 1970: July was an unusually mild month marked by a high frequency of westerly winds. Growth was reported in the North Island and in parts of Canterbury, with conditions good for stock. On the 11th two small tornadoes caused some damage in Waitara and New Plymouth. Strong westerly to northwesterly gales buffeted many districts from Taihape to Otago on the 20th.
Rainfall: For the greater part of the country rainfall was close to normal. However, it was more than double the normal value in Fiordland and the Southern Lakes district, while it was 50% above normal in most of Buller and Nelson, besides Taranaki just east of Mt Egmont. On the other hand, it was less than half normal in central Hawkes Bay and in Northland around and to the west of Whangarei. It was also somewhat below normal elsewhere in the North Island east of the main ranges, in addition to Taupo and the remainder of Northland with Coromandel. On the 2nd daily rainfalls of 2”-4” in Nelson and Marlborough caused some flooding.
Some totals: New Plymouth 250mm, Milford 775mm (2nd highest), Queenstown 149mm (3rd highest); Hastings 28mm.
Temperatures: Temperatures were warmer than normal by 3F-4F in the South Island and by 2F in the North Island. Wellington had its warmest July in 100 years of records; and most of Marlborough, Canterbury and Otago had the warmest July since 1949. This was the second successive month of relatively warm temperatures, especially in the South Island. There was snow on the high country of both islands after southerly changes on the 13th and 27th; and in parts of western Southland and Otago in strong westerlies on the 20th-21st. [Wellington record broken by more than 1C in July 1998, which was also the warmest on record for NZ].
-9.0C minimum at Moa Creek on the 17th.
Sunshine: Sunshine was somewhat below normal west and south of a line through Motueka, Hanmer and Dunedin; also in some western and central districts of the North Island. Highest deficiencies of 20-40 hours were recorded in Westland and North Taranaki. Areas east of the main ranges in the North Island besides Northland and Auckland were favoured with 15-50 hours above normal.
[Some totals: Kaitaia 166, Kerikeri 163, Whangarei 148, Leigh 165, Auckland 148, Tauranga 159, Whakatane 157, Taupo 107, Opotiki 154, Auckland Aero 137, Hamilton 142, New Plymouth 103, Masterton 124, Gisborne 180, Napier 170, Wairoa 162, Paraparaumu 107, Ohakea 112, Kairanga 114, Palmerston North 92, Levin 101, Wellington 124, Stratford 96, Ohakune 81, Wanganui 113, Takaka 160, Westport 94, Hokitika 90, Greymouth 74, Haast 84, Riwaka 162, Nelson 162, Blenheim 165, Grassmere 168, Kaikoura 154, Mt Cook 61, Mt John 128, Methven 138, Christchurch 142, Tekapo 104, Timaru 113, Waimate 127, Omarama 120, Palmerston 118, Dunedin Aero 95, Dunedin 93, Oamaru 122, Queenstown 59, Alexandra 93, Invercargill 83, Campbell Is 17, Chatham Is 59]
Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations).
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A very mild midwinter month. Gisborne topped the sunshine readings.