May 1976: Marked by an unusually high frequency of southwesterly winds, with sunny dry conditions in eastern districts of the North Island but cloudy wet conditions in the far southwest of the South Island. The rain in Southland and Otago was appreciated after the very dry weather in April. Elsewhere stock were in good condition and growth was slowing up; but in Gisborne and Hawkes Bay some farmers found the weather too dry.
Rainfall: Rainfall was below normal over the North Island, except in South Taranaki and Manawatu. It was also below normal over the South Island, except in Southland, most of Otago, and most of the West Coast. It was less than 50% of normal east of the ranges from East Cape to Kaikoura; also in eastern Northland, Coromandel, and parts of Bay of Plenty. Negligible amounts were recorded in the Ruatoria-Tolaga Bay area, and about and north of Napier, which received only 7mm, its lowest May rainfall in 76 years of record. The only area with rainfall more than 50% above average was Central Otago.
140mm rainfall at Bulls, 656mm at Milford, 59mm at Alexandra, 142mm at Invercargill; 6mm at Hastings, 17mm at Grassmere.
Temperatures: Mean temperatures were below normal in the North Island and the departure amounted to 1C-2C in most northern and eastern districts. They were mainly close to normal in the South Island, except for coastal districts from Dunedin to Invercargill, which were 1C warmer than normal.
23.3C maximum at Temuka on the 29th,
-12.5C minimum at Molesworth on the 12th.
Sunshine: Sunshine was above normal by 25 to 55 hours in eastern districts north of Dunedin; also in Northland, most of Bay of Plenty and Taupo. Kaitaia’s 202 hours and Gisborne’s 196 hours were record high values for May. The only areas with sunshine below normal, by 20-30 hours, were South Taranaki-Wanganui-Manawatu, parts of Buller, and Southland with parts of Central Otago.
[Some totals: Kaitaia 202, Whangarei 172, Auckland 152, Thames 123, Tauranga 179, Whakatane 200, Taupo 149, Hamilton 115, Taumarunui 102, New Plymouth 148, Masterton 155, Dannevirke 138, Gisborne 196, Napier 189, Ohakea 121, Palmerston North 90, Levin 118, Wellington 145, Wanganui 112, Westport 107, Hokitika 128, Greymouth 117, Haast 141, Riwaka 184, Nelson 183, Blenheim 208, Kaikoura 158, Mt Cook 99, Methven 143, Christchurch 161, Tekapo 145, Timaru 128, Oamaru Aero 152, Omarama 154, Dunedin 122, Queenstown 84, Alexandra 114, Gore 102, Invercargill 70, Raoul Is 175.]
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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February 12, 2012, 09:03:49 PM