New Zealand Local Weather Forum
Weather Discussion => Historical => 1980 - 1984 => Topic started by: Sheldybett on October 15, 2024, 08:28:42 PM
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October 1981: October was cool and dry for most of the North Island and milder and wetter than normal in the South Island. There was a slightly higher incidence of strong winds than usual in the south of the country but winds were otherwise close to normal for October. Extremely high north-westerly winds affected inland parts of the South Island from Te Anau to the McKenzie Basin during the 3rd and 4th. Severe damage to buildings was reported throughout the area and one person was killed by flying debris in Twizel. Plantations were extensively damaged. The following maximum gusts were recorded at anemometer sites in the area (previous or existing record gusts follow in parentheses): Queenstown 70 kts (58 kts), Aviemore 104 kts (117 kts), Mt. John 113 kts (135 kts), Lake Pukaki 62 kts (62 kts), and Lauder 100 kts estimate-a new installation. Farmers throughout the country report spring growth to be progressing well although cool night time temperatures and late frosts have retarded growth in some northern areas. Frosts during the last few days of the month damaged kiwifruit crops around Te Puke and walnut crops around Taumarunui. Hail on the 30th damaged some stonefruit crops around Christchurch.
Rainfall: The North Island had below normal rainfall in all areas except Gisborne, Bay of Plenty, Wairarapa, and Wellington. Parts of the Northland, Auckland, and Taupo districts had less than half their normal October rainfalls while the Wairarapa region had close to twice normal rainfall. In the South Island rainfalls were mainly close to or above normal for October. A notably wet region was the area from Oamaru to Christchurch which had close to 200 percent of normal rainfall. Southern Westland and Central Otago had slightly less than normal rainfall.
Some totals (mm): Stratford Mountain House 707, Milford Sound 659, Fox Glacier 433, Hokitika 284, Westport 249, Blenheim 111, Timaru 101, Whangarei 58, Auckland 55, Napier 44.
Temperature:North Island temperatures were up to 1.0°C above normal in central and eastern areas and up to 1.0°C below normal in the north and south. The Nelson Lakes, inland Canterbury and Oamaru areas of the South Island had mean temperatures more than 1.0°C above normal while other areas were up to 1.0°C above normal. There were several very warm spells during periods of northwesterly winds this month. During the period between the 1st and 4th maximum temperatures in eastern and south-eastern areas were above 20°C with Gisborne, Napier, Timaru, Christchurch, Oamaru, Dunedin, and Kaikoura recording temperatures above 25°C at times. Minimum temperatures were as much as 15°C above the average minimum for the month in some areas. During the 7th and 8th temperatures in the same areas were again above 20°C, although minimum temperatures were not as high as those on the previous occasion. Warm temperatures were recorded over most of the country during the 21st and 22nd when both maximum and minimum temperatures were 3-8°C above average.There were two very cool periods, the first between the 17th and 18th and the second at the end of the month when severe late frosts were experienced in many parts of the country.
28.4°C maximum at Hastings on the 4th, -5.0°C minimum at Waiouru on the 22nd.
Sunshine: Sunshine totals were close to, or above normal for the month over most of the country. The North Island had above normal sunshine everywhere except in southern areas where sunshine totals were about 10 hours below average. In the South Island the
Marlborough, Canterbury, and Otago areas had between 10 and 30 hours less sunshine than usual while all other areas were sunnier than
average.
[Some totals: Kaitaia 219, Waitangi 215, Whangarei 207, Leigh 188, Auckland 191, Tauranga 208, Whakatane 230, Rotorua 206, Taupo 202, Auckland Aero 190, Hamilton 180, New Plymouth 191, Masterton n/a, Dannevirke 164, Gisborne 222, Napier 196, Wairoa 213, Paraparaumu 163, Ohakea 188, Palmerston North 134, Levin 141, Wellington 178, Wanganui 197, Westport 159, Arapito 121, Hokitika 180, Greymouth 160, Nelson 198, Blenheim 199, Grassmere 182, Kaikoura 203, Mt Cook 163, Methven 191, Christchurch 208, Timaru 166, Oamaru Aero 150, Omarama 150, Palmerston 163, Dunedin Aero 159, Dunedin 152, Te Anau 202, Queenstown 217, Cromwell 225, Alexandra n/a, Gore 157, Invercargill 165]
Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 147 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 147 (Meteorological Observations).