New Zealand Local Weather Forum
Weather Discussion => Historical => 1965 - 1969 => Topic started by: Rwood on March 21, 2015, 01:10:36 PM
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April 1965: April was comparatively sunny over most of the country and also drier than usual in many districts. The weather was particularly settled from the 13th to the 22nd. Farming conditions generally very good, though they were too dry in parts of Marlborough and Nelson, and in parts of Southland at the end of the month conditions were too cold and too wet. Southwesterly gales caused some damage on the 26th, especially in Southland, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay, Waikato and Auckland.
Rainfall: Over nearly the whole of the North Island and in western, northern and most inland districts of the South Island rainfall was below average, mainly by about 25%. In northern Northland, coastal Bay of Plenty and Manawatu the deficiency was more than 50%. In eastern districts of the South Island, including eastern Southland, rainfall was mainly above average by about 50%. It was a particularly wet month for North Canterbury, with more than double the normal rainfall.
Temperatures: Mean temperatures were mainly close to average. However, in Southland and parts of Otago and also in eastern Northland they were 1F-2F below average. Snow was reported on the high country of the South Island about the 7th; and there were fairly frequent falls on the high country of both islands during the last week of the month.
Sunshine: Most of the country was favoured with more sunshine than usual. The surplus was about 40 hours in Taupo, Gisborne and coastal Bay of Plenty; but in Northland it amounted to 50-75 hours. On the other hand, Southland and coastal Otago received 30-70 hours less sunshine than usual.
[Some totals: Kaitaia 215, Kerikeri 217, Whangarei 202 (all record highs), Auckland 183, Tauranga 211, Whakatane 237, Taupo 193, Opotiki 228, Hamilton 185, New Plymouth 176, Masterton 177, Gisborne 200, Napier 193, Wairoa 177, Paraparaumu 169, Ohakea 183, Palmerston North 169, Levin 157, Wellington 165, Stratford 149, Ohakune 141, Wanganui 169, Westport 163, Hokitika 152, Greymouth 127, Haast 155, Riwaka 209, Nelson 204, Blenheim 199, Grassmere 182, Kaikoura 176, Mt Cook 147, Mt John 218, Methven 173, Christchurch 157, Tekapo 202, Timaru 141, Waimate 129, Dunedin Aero 92, Dunedin 90, Queenstown 125, Alexandra 157, Invercargill 61, Campbell Is 50, Chatham Is 117].
Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations) - additional comments by the poster.
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Thanks for that RWood.
Re Invercargill - that recording of 61 hrs sunshine looks grim!
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Yes, it was in a period when its April totals were lower than now, though there is some doubt about the current manual readings. The all-time low of 54 was at Invercargill in 1949 (a reading of 52 in 1965 at Gore I think was compromised by deteriorating exposure). 237 at Whakatane without help from dodgy electronica!