NZ weather summary April 1970

[Rwood]

April 1970:  April was dry and warm. In many districts nearly all the rain fell in the first 4 days and on the 30th, and there was little or no rain from 5 to 29 April. Stock were in good condition, but growth was poor.

Rainfall: Rainfall was below normal except over the Southland plain and on parts of the Kaikoura Coast. It was less than half the normal value in most of Otago and Canterbury; in Taumarunui and Taupo, with parts of inland Hawkes Bay; and in central Marlborough. The greatest deficiency was in inland Canterbury and parts of Central Otago, with less than a quarter of the normal rainfall. Ophir received no appreciable rain at all.

718mm rainfall at Milford, nil at Ophir.

Temperatures:  Temperatures were above normal, mainly by 2F.

27.8C maximum at Jordan, Awatere on the 18th, -5.0C minimum at Moa Creek on the 12th.

Sunshine: Northland, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay, Central Otago and the Mackenzie Country were favoured with 30-50 hours more sunshine than usual. The only stations substantially below normal were Westport and Greymouth.

[Some totals:  Kaitaia 183, Kerikeri 180, Whangarei 158, Leigh 169, Auckland 176, Tauranga 209, Whakatane 217, Taupo 174, Opotiki 208, Auckland Aero 167, Hamilton 172, New Plymouth 170, Masterton 177, Gisborne 202, Napier 207, Wairoa 204, Paraparaumu 155, Ohakea 161, Kairanga 167, Palmerston North 134, Levin 145, Wellington 165, Stratford 160, Ohakune 130, Wanganui 166, Takaka 187, Westport 119, Hokitika 114, Greymouth 103, Haast 139, Riwaka 184, Nelson 186, Blenheim 206, Grassmere 181, Kaikoura 171, Mt Cook 142, Mt John 206, Methven 151, Christchurch 159, Tekapo 207, Timaru 149, Waimate 156, Omarama 202, Palmerston 151, Dunedin Aero 157, Dunedin 147, Oamaru 171, Queenstown 161, Alexandra 184, Invercargill 105,  Campbell Is 27, Chatham Is 110]

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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[Rwood]

Added more sunshine stats. Notable as a month when a site recorded zero rainfall.

[ato2]

What a contrast between Milford and Ophir ! An excellent demonstration of how our climate can be so different between one spot and another.

[Rwood]

Added more sunshine stats. Notable as a month when a site recorded zero rainfall.
What a contrast between Milford and Ophir ! An excellent demonstration of how our climate can be so different between one spot and another.
[/quote]

Sure is. When I get to reviewing 80s+ summaries I will look for the Cropp sites' totals {the drier "Hut" site started in August 1979, the wetter "Waterfall" site in August 1982}, which would increase contrasts further. Ophir has 3 monthly nil readings in the records I have, whereas Alexandra, while drier, has a lowest reading of 0.3mm (0.01").

[ato2]

What a contrast between Milford and Ophir ! An excellent demonstration of how our climate can be so different between one spot and another.

Sure is. When I get to reviewing 80s+ summaries I will look for the Cropp sites' totals {the drier "Hut" site started in August 1979, the wetter "Waterfall" site in August 1982}, which would increase contrasts further. Ophir has 3 monthly nil readings in the records I have, whereas Alexandra, while drier, has a lowest reading of 0.3mm (0.01").
Yes, when one drills down to figures, taken over years, contrasts become apparent. I have a couple of ones locally I want to think about, though they have a ready explanation, I think.