NZ weather summary July 1963

[Rwood]

July 1963: It was a very cloudy month, with an unusually high frequency of winds from the east and northeast, bringing excessive rain to some eastern districts, especially in the South Island. An easterly storm raged over most of the country from the 12th to the 16th. Strong gales affected parts of Northland, Auckland and Thames, also Manawatu. Flood waters covered some areas in Marlborough, Canterbury and Otago; and road and rail transport was disrupted, especially between Christchurch and Picton.

Rainfall: Rainfall was more than twice the average value in eastern districts form Dunedin to Cape Campbell, also on the East Coast and in parts of Bay of Plenty. It was also somewhat above average in northern districts of the South Island, in other eastern areas of the North Island, and in the remainder of the Auckland province, except around Auckland city. By contrast, it was less than half as wet as usual on the West Coast, in the Southern Lakes district, and around Foveaux Strait. In other western and southern districts south of New Plymouth it was also somewhat below average. Around the Kaikouras rainfall was more than 4 times the average, with totals ranging from 9-26”. Of this amount 8-22” fell from the 13th to the 16th.

Temperatures: Temperatures were 1F-3F above average in the Auckland province and also in South Westland and Fiordland. Over most of Canterbury, Otago and Southland they were 1F-3F colder than normal; as in June, inland areas had the greatest departures from average.

Sunshine: Sunshine was more than 30 hours below average in eastern and most northern districts of both islands and also in inland areas of the South Island. Napier’s 84 hours and Hanmer’s 72 hours were the lowest for July in over 50 years of record. Elsewhere sunshine was mainly below average by up to 25 hours. However, most of the West Coast had somewhat more hours than usual; and in Auckland, Waikato and Taumarunui sunshine was almost up to average.

[Some totals: Te Hapua 99, Kaitaia 105, Kerikeri 108, Whangarei 101, Auckland 125, Tauranga 105, Whakatane 115, Taupo 106, Opotiki 111, Hamilton 116, New Plymouth 123, Masterton 73, Gisborne 78, Napier 84, Wairoa 72, Paraparaumu 102, Ohakea 105, Palmerston Nth 85, Levin 102, Wellington 80, Stratford 108, Ohakune 100, Wanganui 99, Westport 130, Hokitika 141, Greymouth 123, Haast 148, Nelson 124, Blenheim 122, Grassmere 119, Kaikoura 91, Mt Cook 77, Methven 124, Christchurch 98, Tekapo 95, Timaru 85, Waimate 92, Omarama 105, Dunedin Aero 81, Dunedin 75, Queenstown 72, Alexandra 80, Invercargill 83, Campbell Is 10, 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.

• Tweet