New Zealand Local Weather Forum
Weather Discussion => Historical => 1975 - 1979 => Topic started by: Rwood on February 17, 2012, 07:38:35 AM
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July 1979: July was the fourth consecutive month with pressures above normal over the whole of New Zealand. Easterly winds were more frequent than usual in the northern areas of the country, and north-westerly winds predominated in the south. There was a marked absence of days with very strong winds. Throughout most of the country July was a mild month, and much wetter than usual in districts to the north of Bay of Plenty, and in parts of Canterbury.
Rainfall: Areas with rainfall totals below normal were Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa, Taranaki, central districts of the North Island, Manawatu and Westland. In Manawatu only 50% of the normal July total was recorded. The wettest areas were Auckland, Bay of Plenty, and parts of Canterbury where the totals ranged from 40% to 75% above normal. Heavy rain that started in Northland and Auckland at the end of June continued on the 1st of July. Widespread flooding was reported, and homes were evacuated in the Auckland district. More than 100mm of rain were recorded at Albert Park, Auckland, between midnight and 9am on the 1st (40mm from 8am to 9am), and almost 70mm at Auckland Airport in the same period. Further heavy rain began to fall in Northland during the afternoon of the 31st; 46mm had been recorded at Kaitaia by midnight on that day.
Some monthly totals (mm): Cape Reinga 229, Albert Park 223, Coromandel 488, Hamilton 214, Christchurch 81; Waipukurau 61, Dannevirke 50, Palmerston North Airport 28, Waiouru 46, Hokitika 169, Kaikoura 45.
Temperatures: Warmer night time temperatures were reflected in the higher than normal mean temperatures for the month. Most districts were above normal by at least 0.5C, and in South Canterbury, Otago and Southland by more than 1.5C. The longest cold spell was from the 6th to the 10th, and during this period temperatures were unusually cold in the Auckland area. The minimum air temperature at Whenuapai on the 8th was -2C.
20.2C maximum at Atiamuri on the 31st, -9.5C minimum at the Chateau, Ruapehu on the 16th.
Sunshine: Sunshine was appreciably below the monthly average in most of Bay of Plenty, and parts of South Taranaki, Manawatu, Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa. Although Northland, Auckland and part of Canterbury experienced a wetter month than usual, sunshine in these districts was above normal by about 10 hours.
[Some totals: Kaitaia 157, Dargaville 121, Waitangi 148, Whangarei 125, Auckland 146, Tauranga 130, Whakatane 157, Rotorua 126, Taupo 109, Hamilton 112, New Plymouth 127, Masterton 94, Dannevirke 95, Gisborne 139, Napier 125, Wairoa 120, Paraparaumu 108, Ohakea 123, Palmerston North 89, Levin 105, Wellington 108, Stratford 94, Wanganui 109, Westport 128, Hokitika 131, Greymouth 110, Riwaka 166, Nelson 173, Blenheim 156, Grassmere 152, Kaikoura 134, Mt Cook 64, Mt John 148, Methven 133, Christchurch 140, Tekapo 130, Timaru 133, Omarama 128, Palmerston 106, Dunedin 99, Te Anau 75, Queenstown 80, Cromwell 113, Alexandra 108, Gore 106, Invercargill 95].
Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations).