New Zealand Local Weather Forum
Weather Discussion => Historical => 1965 - 1969 => Topic started by: Rwood on June 27, 2018, 01:35:35 PM
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August 1965: August was marked by an unusually high frequency of winds from an easterly quarter, with excessive rain in Gisborne and Hawkes Bay. In these areas especially, but also in some other parts of the North Island, the wet weather caused the loss of many lambs. However, in Southland, Otago and South Canterbury the weather was comparatively dry but frosty, with better conditions for stock. A local tornado did some damage at Cobden (near Greymouth) on the 10th.
Rainfall: Rainfall was 2-5 times the average in Gisborne and Hawkes Bay, also in Coromandel and about Auckland city. Elsewhere in the North Island, except in western districts from Waitomo to Manawatu, rainfall was also somewhat above average. In the South Island, west of a line from Nelson to Christchurch, rainfall was below average, mainly by 25%. Central and North Otago received less than half the average value. Two totals of 35” were recorded, one at Makaroro, inland from East Cape, and the other at Maraetotara, southeast of Hastings. Flooding was reported in parts of Gisborne and Hawkes Bay following heavy rain from the 10th to the 15th. At Maraetotara nearly 20” was recorded on the 13th-14th. Auckland city had a total of 12.76”, the highest August total in over a century of records. More than 9” of this fell in 3 days, the 25th to 27th, with some flooding, slips and landslides.
Temperatures: Temperatures were 1F-2F above average in central and most eastern districts of the North Island. On the other hand, they were 2F-3F below average in Southland and Central Otago. The spell of cold snowy weather at the end of July persisted for the first 6 days of August, with snow in some eastern and central districts of the North Island and light falls even in Waikato and Auckland, an unusual occurrence. Snow also affected roads in the Taupo-Taihape area from the 21st to the 23rd.
Sunshine: Sunshine was more than 50 hours below average in Gisborne and Hawkes Bay; and Napier’s total of 93 hours was its lowest for August. Over the remainder of the North Island and in coastal Canterbury sunshine was mainly 10-40 hours below average. The West Coast, Central Otago and Southland were favoured with 15-45 hours above average.
[Some totals: Kaitaia 163, Kerikeri 150, Whangarei 126, Auckland 133, Tauranga 129, Whakatane 139, Taupo 120, Opotiki 112, Hamilton 134, New Plymouth 150, Masterton 82, Gisborne 91, Napier 93, Wairoa 82, Paraparaumu 125, Ohakea 123, Palmerston North 97, Levin 118, Wellington 113, Stratford 113, Ohakune 74, Wanganui 117, Westport 171, Hokitika 162, Greymouth 148, Haast 184, Riwaka 184, Nelson 170, Blenheim 171, Grassmere 163, Kaikoura 144, Mt Cook 118, Mt John 191, Methven 153, Christchurch 137, Tekapo 162, Timaru 104, Waimate 112, Dunedin Aero 127, Dunedin 125, Queenstown 122, Alexandra 146, Invercargill 138, Campbell Is 32, Chatham Is 84].
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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I can't find any rainfall data for Maraetotara in NIWA's databases, but it has figured several times in high rainfall events.