NZ weather summary June 1963

[Rwood]

June 1963:  June will be remembered mainly for the Hawkes Bay flood of the 3rd and the severe storm which caused it, with southeasterly gales in Taranaki and about Cook Strait, and snow in the South Island high country. Otherwise the weather was fairly typical for the time of year. Vivid sunrises and sunsets, resulting from the presence of unusual amounts of dust in the stratosphere, were observed throughout the country in May and June. The dust originated in the eruptions of Mt Agung (Bali) late in March. [It was later shown that this had a significant depressing effect on NZ temperatures for the remainder of 1963 and some of 1964].

Rainfall:  Except in Hawkes Bay, rainfall was mainly close to normal. However, it was somewhat above average in southern Northland, in the high country of South Canterbury and North Otago, and in the Catlins area of eastern Southland; and it was somewhat below average in the Cape Runaway-East Coast area, in North Taranaki and Wanganui, and about the Kaikoura coast. In Hawkes Bay totals ranged from 2-6 times the average. Greatest excesses were in the Napier-Eskdale-Tangoio area, where more than 4/5 of the rain fell on the 3rd. Some high totals for the 3rd were: Hedgeley (Eskdale) 15.50”, Tangoio 12.39”, and Taradale 11.18”. At both Napier Aerodrome and Tangoio over 2.5” were recorded in an hour on the afternoon of the 3rd. Exceptionally serious flooding resulted in the Tangoio Valley, with considerable flooding also in the Esk Valley and parts of Napier. Some flooding was also reported on the Southland Plain on the 25th as a result of a total of about 3” of rain in 5 days, together with snow-melt in the rivers.

Temperatures: Temperatures were close to normal in the North Island and in western and northern districts of the South Island. Over the remainder of the South Island they were 1F-3F below average. Largest departures were recorded in the high country of Canterbury, Otago and western Southland. Snow was reported on the high country of both islands and to low levels in parts of Otago and Southland from the 21st-23rd.

Sunshine: Sunshine was mostly close to normal, except in eastern districts from Gisborne to Christchurch, where it was 20-50 hours below average.

 [Some totals: Te Hapua 126, Kaitaia 146, Kerikeri 136, Whangarei 128, Auckland 136, Tauranga 135, Whakatane 134, Taupo 98, Opotiki 128, Hamilton 120, New Plymouth 129, Masterton 83, Gisborne 97, Napier 95, Wairoa 83, Paraparaumu 123, Ohakea 103, Palmerston Nth 84, Levin 117, Wellington 93, Stratford 108, Ohakune 72, Wanganui 97, Westport 100, Hokitika 105, Greymouth 86, Haast 126, Nelson 147, Blenheim 151, Grassmere 134, Kaikoura 111, Mt Cook 71, Methven 133, Christchurch 93, Tekapo 102, Timaru 115, Waimate 121, Omarama 114, Dunedin Aero 93, Dunedin 92, Queenstown 69, Alexandra 82, Invercargill 71, Campbell Is 9, Chatham Is 41].

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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