NZ weather summary March 1960

[Rwood]

March 1960:  March was cloudy and cool, and unsettled in the last 3 weeks. It was a good month for stock, and the rains of the second week were particularly welcome in Wairarapa and Canterbury after the comparatively dry spell back to the beginning of the year. Early frosts affected some vegetable crops in the North Island.

Rainfall: Rainfall was somewhat above average over the greater part of the country. In parts of Central Otago and Nelson it was double the normal value.  It was appreciably drier than average in Fiordland, on the Southland plain, and in western Northland. On the 29th a violent thunderstorm with heavy hail affected parts of central Canterbury and southern parts of Wellington province. At Paraparaumu hailstones were the size of marbles, and here and around Christchurch windows were broken.

Temperatures: Temperatures were below average, except in Taranaki and on the West Coast. The deficit was mainly 1F-2F, but was somewhat higher in inland districts of the South Island. Snow fell on the ranges during 3 spells of southerly winds on the 12th, 25th and 29th.

Sunshine: Except in parts of the West Coast, sunshine was below average, and the deficit exceeded 30 hours over most of the country. Parts of Wairarapa, Marlborough, South Canterbury and North Otago received 50-70 hours less than the normal sunshine.

[Some totals: Te Hapua 161, Kaitaia 150, Kerikeri 130, Whangarei 131, Auckland 168, Tauranga 165, Whakatane 171, Taupo 164, Hamilton 164, New Plymouth 166, Masterton 132, Gisborne 155, Napier 160, Wairoa 163, Paraparaumu 186, Ohakea 162, Palmerston Nth 159, Foxton 197, Levin 171, Wellington 179, Wanganui 168, Westport 156, Hokitika 167, Greymouth 166, Haast 160, Nelson 184, Blenheim 147, Grassmere 155, Kaikoura 115, Mt Cook 99, Methven 147, Christchurch 129, Tekapo 158, Timaru 112, Waimate 92, Omarama 130, Dunedin 122, Queenstown 156, Alexandra 163, Invercargill 130, Campbell Is 67, Chatham Is 79 (lowest)].

Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations) - additional comments by the poster.

• Tweet