New Zealand Local Weather Forum
Weather Discussion => Historical => 1955 - 1959 => Topic started by: Rwood on May 08, 2018, 07:50:50 AM
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June 1959: A very sunny month with comparatively low rainfall. It brought welcome relief from the cold, wet conditions of the preceding month. Frosts were frequent, sometimes severe. Conditions were generally favourable for stock despite little pasture growth.
Rainfall: Over the greater part of the country rainfall was about half the average value. In South Canterbury and North Otago, where some stations had less than 0.25”, it was one of the driest Junes on record. The only areas with rainfall close to or somewhat above normal were western districts of the South Island from Westport southward together with the Alps and Lakes district, and northeastern Northland.
Temperatures: Temperatures were about 1F below normal, except in eastern and inland districts of the South Island from Christchurch southward, where they were 1F-2F warmer than usual. The mildest temperatures were recorded during a spell of westerly weather from the 12th to the 19th. Snowfall was reported to low levels in parts of the South Island and in the North Island high country on the 4th.
Sunshine: Except over most of the Auckland and Taranaki provinces, sunshine was well above average. In eastern districts from Dunedin to Waipukurau and about Cook Strait, departures of 40-60 hours were recorded. For Blenheim, Ashburton, Timaru and Dunedin it was the sunniest June in 30-50 years of observation. The only areas with sunshine appreciably below normal were northeastern Northland and parts of the Waikato.
[Some totals: Te Hapua 128, Kaitaia 136, Kerikeri 105, Whangarei 117, Auckland 128, Tauranga 137, Whakatane 179, Taupo 122, Hamilton 101, New Plymouth 130, Masterton 148, Gisborne 152, Napier 162, Wairoa 153, Paraparaumu 136, Ohakea 136, Palmerston Nth 103, Levin 120, Wellington 149, Wanganui 140, Westport 135, Hokitika 124, Greymouth 100, Haast 125, Nelson 192, Blenheim 205(*), Grassmere 196, Mt Cook 89, Methven 173, Christchurch 160, Tekapo 118, Timaru 165, Waimate 161, Omarama 174, Dunedin 124, Queenstown 79, Alexandra 128, Invercargill 88, Campbell Is 2.3, Chatham Is 71].
(*) {NZ record, beating its NZ record set the previous June}
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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Visitor/bot test.
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Extreme difference between Blenheim and Campbell Island, for sure.
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Yes, over 80% of possible at Blenheim - while Campbell's record low is actually 1.3 hours in June 1992!