February 1975: February was warm and cloudy, and also rather dry over the North Island. Welcome rain eased dry conditions in Southland. Elsewhere conditions were predominantly favourable for farming, but they were too dry in parts of the North Island;
while in parts of Canterbury and Otago wet conditions with reduced sun proved unfavourable for harvesting. From the 5th to the 7th many districts were buffeted by winds well beyond gale force, mainly from the southwest. Some of the areas worst affected were Auckland, Coromandel, North Taranaki, Marlborough, and parts of Otago and Southland.
Rainfall: Rainfall was below normal over nearly all of the North Island; over the greater part it was less than half the normal value. It was also somewhat below normal in most of Marlborough and parts of Nelson. Elsewhere in the South Island it was mainly above normal, by 50%. Some very heavy rain was recorded in parts of the South Island on the 22nd & 23rd, under the influence of a stationary front. On the 22nd Moanaroa, between Timaru and Waimate, received 136mm, of which 119mm fell in 16 hours. Severe local flooding and erosion were reported. On the 23rd Franz Josef received 250mm and Fox Glacier 211mm, causing a bridge to be washed out in that area.
Some monthly totals (mm): Kaitaia 25, Albert Park 37, Taupo 19, Hamilton 18, New Plymouth 39, Napier 21, Palmerston North 26, Wanganui 14, Rotoiti 60; Milford 888, Tekapo 111, Timaru 108, Waimate 162, Omarama 85.
Temperatures: Temperatures were above normal, mainly by 1C-2C. Highest departures, exceeding 2C, were recorded in Taranaki and Taihape. Considerable fluctuations occurred in eastern districts. The 13th was a particularly warm day, especially in Otago and Southland; and the 28th was very cold in Canterbury, Otago and Southland.
34.4C maximum at Ashburton and
34.3C at Invermay (Taieri) on the 13th,
-0.2C minimum at Godley Peaks on the 25th.
Sunshine: Sunshine was below normal over northern districts of the North Island and over the greater part of the South Island, mainly by 20-50 hours. Kaitaia had an unusually low total of 134 hours.
[Some totals: Kaitaia 134, Dargaville 154, Auckland 167, Thames 148, Tauranga 170, Whakatane 183, Taupo 171, Hamilton 167, Te Kuiti 147, New Plymouth 193, Masterton 196, Dannevirke 174, Gisborne 210, Napier 209, Wairoa 222, Ohakea 203, Palmerston North 171, Wellington 172, Manaia 205, Wanganui 183, Westport 153, Hokitika 136, Greymouth 131, Haast 155, Riwaka 222, Nelson 221, Blenheim 220, Kaikoura 181, Mt Cook 132, Mt John 180, Methven 158, Christchurch 167, Timaru 136, Waimate 122, Omarama 167, Palmerston 142, Dunedin 124, Te Anau 144, Queenstown 160, Alexandra 178, Invercargill 147,
Campbell Is 116 (record high)].
Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations) - additional comments in italics.
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February 12, 2012, 12:56:08 PM