New Zealand Local Weather Forum
Weather Discussion => Historical => Topic started by: Rwood on January 08, 2019, 10:13:03 AM
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A small challenge for anyone interested. 12 sets of locations, 12 choices for the wettest and driest months - try and guess some or all of the correct pairings.
The sites (2 for each pattern):
(A) Arthurs Pass & Franz Josef
(B) Dannevirke & Waiouru
(C) Dargaville & Chatham Is
(D) Gisborne & Cape Reinga
(E) Invercargill & Stewart Is
(F) Mt Cook & Milford
(G) Methven & Orari
(H) Oamaru & Dunedin
(I) Palmerston North & Wanganui
(J) Takaka & Queenstown
(K) Tekapo & Nelson
(L) Thames & Gt Barrier (Port Fitzroy)
The pairings (wettest month first, driest second):
(1) Jan, Jul
(2) May, Feb
(3) May, Aug
(4) Jun, Jan
(5) Jun, Mar
(6) Jul, Jan
(7) Jul, Feb
(8 ) Jul, Nov
(9) Oct, Feb
(10) Oct, Jul
(11) Dec, Jun
(12) Dec, Sep
There are many other pairings of months that occur in a list of 120-odd sites, but I have just picked some cases where the "winning"
months are clearcut. the answers are not very obvious, especially for the South Island locations. The averages are derived from varying periods
of up to 100+ years.
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Oh no the last time we played this game I failed miserably :(
I have printed it out and I will study up. You better start writing down hints for us as I am sure we will need them.
Might take a few days though. I am still putting my house back into order after family returning to their own abodes :)
Cheers
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Some early hints:
(1) Places that have November as their driest month are not likely to be in the west, given the increase in westerlies in late spring.
(2) Most North Island locations have their wettest month in winter.
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This good...must think it out
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In the meantime, another hint - South Island mountain and West Coast locations somewhat reverse the typical North Island pattern.
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Ok I have finally finished the Financial Report so I am now able to give this my undivided attention :)
We probably just need a starter for 10 that we can all rearrange :)
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OK will do: (B) Dannevirke & Waiouru matches (7) Wettest July, driest February; one of the common North Island patterns (also true for a modest portion of the South Is.)
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(B) Dannevirke & Waiouru = 7
(A) Arthurs Pass & Franz Josef = 3
(D) Gisborne & Cape Reinga = 4
This is not easy so I am going to do this by elimination. I am using the forum Data Summary and interestingly enough 1 of my 2 guesses matches and 1 does not. Arthurs Pass is an interesting one as compared to my location they have heavy rainfall every month :)
Anyways do not give me the answers, just please let me know if either are correct :)
Thank you.
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Gisborne and Cape Reinga a good guess but not correct. Think of the dryness typical in spring along the east coasts and parts of the far north (remember these are long term records so 2018 doesn't count for much). Arthurs and Franz Josef - your wet month is too close to winter …
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Forgot about this for a while …. Dannevirke & Waiouru have wettest = Jul (7), driest Feb (2). Been quiet a while, so here's a couple:
Tekapo and Nelson - Wettest May (5), driest Feb (2)
Methven & Orari - Wettest Dec (12), driest June (6)
(those are month indexes, forgot to use table number)