May 1969: A cloudy month, with the second half more unsettled than the first. Pasture growth and stock health were generally good, but parts of Wairarapa and Canterbury reported a shortage of winter feed. Cook Strait and some surrounding areas were buffeted by violent southerly gales on the 8th.
Rainfall: Over the greater part of the country rainfall was close to or somewhat below average. In most western and inland districts of the South Island and in Taupo, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay it was less than 3/4 of average. The only areas with rainfall well above average were coastal Otago and western Northland. In both of these the surplus was more than 50%, and parts of Otago around Palmerston received double the normal rainfall. In western Northland daily falls of 3”-4” were recorded on 20 May. Several stations reported thunderstorms, causing flooding in parts of the Hokianga district.
Temperatures: Temperatures were close to or somewhat above average. Snow fell on the Mackenzie Country during a spell of cold southerly weather from the 7th-10th. Another southerly spell, on the last 4 days of the month, was much colder, especially in the North Island, bringing snow to the high country.
Sunshine: Sunshine was below average over the greater part of the country. The deficiency amounted to 30-50 hours in eastern districts, and around Auckland and Queenstown. New lows for May were set at Auckland (83 hours), Blenheim (115) and Hanmer (64). Sunshine was close to average on the West Coast, from Taranaki northeastwards to Rotorua, in parts of Manawatu, and in Nelson.
[Some totals: Kaitaia 106, Kerikeri 102, Whangarei 88, Auckland 83, Tauranga 137, Whakatane 146, Taupo 135, Opotiki 127, Hamilton 101, New Plymouth 131, Masterton 78, Gisborne 102, Napier 111, Wairoa 89, Paraparaumu 113, Ohakea 116, Palmerston North 90, Levin 109, Wellington 93, Stratford 121, Ohakune 103, Wanganui 117, Westport 119, Hokitika 116, Greymouth 107, Haast 144, Riwaka 142, Nelson 144, Blenheim 115, Grassmere 105, Kaikoura 84, Mt Cook 76, Mt John 130, Methven 98, Christchurch 93, Tekapo 121, Timaru 100, Waimate 114, Omarama 133, Palmerston 108, Dunedin Aero 90, Dunedin 84, Oamaru 115, Queenstown 58, Alexandra 106, Invercargill 70, Campbell Is 6.6, Chatham Is 82]
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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September 12, 2018, 01:53:27 PM