June 1973:  June was a mild month. There was an unusually high frequency of north-easterly winds in the North Island and of northerly winds in the South Island, causing wet conditions in Northland, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay but dry, relatively sunny conditions in Canterbury, Otago and Southland. The mildness was appreciated by farmers, with good growth over the greater part of the North Island. However, in parts of Nelson, Marlborough and Canterbury conditions were too dry, as in previous months.

Rainfall: Rainfall was mainly below normal by 25-50%. Most of South Canterbury and Otago with parts of eastern Southland and also considerable areas of Marlborough and Nelson had less than half the normal value. It was particularly dry around Dunedin, in North Otago, and South Canterbury, and also just west of Nelson City. On the other hand, rainfall was above normal in most northern and eastern districts of the North Island, and in parts of the Southern Alps.

1mm rain at Waimate, 4mm at Alexandra, 287mm at Raoul Is.

Temperatures: Temperatures were above normal, mainly by 1C. Highest departures were recorded in the North Island. The mildest periods were from the 2nd to the 9th and from the 24th to the 26th. The lack of snow on the main ranges was very noticeable, especially in the South Island.

24.3C maximum at Waipoua Forest on the 23rd, possible NZ June record.

Sunshine:  Southland, Otago, Canterbury, and the greater part of the West Coast were favoured with 20-50 hours more sunshine than normal, with Invercargill having its 2nd highest total for June in over 40 years of observation. Over the remainder of the country sunshine was mainly about normal.

[Some totals:  Kaitaia 116, Kerikeri 112, Whangarei 110, Leigh 136, Auckland 119, Tauranga 130, Whakatane 147, Taupo 108, Opotiki 131, Auckland Aero 120, Hamilton 127, New Plymouth Aero 129, Masterton 113, Gisborne 132, Napier 132, Wairoa 118, Paraparaumu 102, Ohakea 113, Kairanga 107, Palmerston North 86, Levin 106, Wellington 92, Stratford 103, Ohakune 97, Wanganui 117, Takaka 156, Westport 114, Hokitika 140, Greymouth 122, Haast 112, Riwaka 158, Nelson 159, Blenheim 163, Grassmere 145, Kaikoura 140, Mt Cook 89, Mt John 179, Methven 166, Christchurch 138, Tekapo n/a, Timaru 147, Waimate 153, Omarama 159, Palmerston 138, Dunedin Aero 126, Dunedin 112, Oamaru 148, Queenstown 98, Alexandra 104, Invercargill 97, Raoul Is 113, Campbell Is 2.3, Chatham Is 79].

Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations).