February 1965: February was marked by an unusually high frequency of southwesterly winds, a reversal of January’s northeasterlies. It was cloudy and cool – much cooler in fact than January. In Nelson, Marlborough and parts of Canterbury the weather was too dry; in Southland and some of Otago it was too unsettled for harvesting and haymaking, the latter also applying to some North Island districts.
Rainfall: Rainfall was above average over nearly the whole of the Auckland province and in Southland and eastern Central Otago. Greatest excesses were recorded in the Waikato, where many stations received more than double the average value. Elsewhere rainfall was below normal. In Nelson and Marlborough, few stations received even half the average amount. In the Auckland province about 3/4 of the total rain for the month fell during the 11th-12th, as a tropical storm passed to the east. In parts of Bay of the Plenty and Gisborne districts 2-day falls of 7-13” were reported. Flooding was particularly serious around Whakatane and on the Rangitaiki plains.
Temperatures: Temperatures were mainly 1F-2F cooler than average. In some districts exposed to the southwesterlies, notably most of Southland and the West Coast and parts of Manawatu and Waikato, departures exceeded 2F. On the other hand, about Cook Strait and on the South Canterbury-North Otago coast temperatures were about average. Snow fell on the North Island mountains on the 14th.
Sunshine: Sunshine was mainly 10-30 hours below average, highest departures being in Manawatu. In most inland areas of the South Island, about Cook Strait, and in Taupo, Hawkes Bay and Gisborne it was about average.
[Some totals: Kaitaia 166, Kerikeri 176, Whangarei 159, Auckland 169, Tauranga 204, Whakatane 218, Taupo 197, Opotiki 181, Hamilton 168, New Plymouth 152, Masterton 179, Gisborne 208, Napier 199, Wairoa 207, Paraparaumu 178, Ohakea 187, Palmerston Nth 149, Levin 152, Wellington 201, Stratford 172, Ohakune 142, Wanganui 168, Westport 162, Hokitika 151, Greymouth 115, Haast 182, Riwaka 228, Nelson 218, Blenheim 220, Grassmere 186, Kaikoura 183, Mt Cook 155, Mt John 221, Methven 176, Christchurch 161, Tekapo 219, Timaru 150, Waimate 144, Dunedin Aero 145, Dunedin 143, Queenstown 185, Alexandra 200, Invercargill 138, Campbell Is 86, Chatham Is n/a].
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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June 23, 2018, 07:25:01 PM