March 1982: It was generally cool with average rain in the North Island, and mild and dry for most of the South Island. Light winds were more frequent than usual in both the north and south of the country and there were greater frequencies than usual of northeasterlies in the south and southeasterlies in the north. Southwesterly winds were generally less frequent than usual. Very dry weather continued to cause problems in northern and eastern areas of the South Island. A hailstorm on the 23rd caused considerable damage in orchards around Nelson and Motueka.
Rainfall: Rainfalls were above average in central and some eastern areas of the North Island, south Westland and Fiordland. Parts of Wellington and northern and eastern areas of the South Island had low rainfalls for the 3rd month in succession, with most of these having less than 50% of normal and parts of Central and South Canterbury having less than 25% of the March average. South Westland and Fiordland had sustained heavy rainfalls between the 9th and 12th, including Mt Cook 440mm, Paringa 585mm, Fox Glacier 630mm, Haast 312mm and Milford Sound 750mm. Telephone and power lines south of Whataroa were cut, roads were closed by washouts at the Cook and Fox river bridge approaches and the Waikukupa bridge collapsed. Much of the Fox Glacier road was washed out.
Some totals (mm): Waitangi 172, Mohaka Forest 203, Fox Glacier 801, Milford 882, Mt cook 497; Kelburn 37, Blenheim 18, Rangiora 9, Omarama 15.
Temperatures: Mean temperatures were about 0.5C below normal in the North Island, apart from North Cape and parts of Wairarapa and Wellington which were slightly warmer than usual. In the South Island mean temperatures were 1C above average for the month, and in parts of Canterbury and the Nelson Lakes district they were 2C above average. Warm temperatures were recorded in eastern districts in a spell of northwesterlies between the 9th and 11th, with readings above 30C in Timaru and Christchurch on the 11th.
There was a cold spell between the 14th and 18th during which temperatures were 5-6C below average, with frosts in many inland areas of Otago and Southland.
32.0C maximum at Orari on the 9th,
-3.0C minimum at Naseby on the 15th.
Sunshine: Sunshine hours were above normal for most of the country apart from eastern areas of the North Island and Southland. Stations with greatest departures included Tauranga Airport (172, -36), Gisborne Airport (167, -31), Invercargill Airport (124, -17), New Plymouth Airport (226, +35), Westport (193, +29) and Timaru (188, +37).
[Some totals: Kaitaia 188, Waitangi 186, Whangarei 170, Leigh 205, Auckland 205, Tauranga 172, Whakatane 186, Rotorua 170, Taupo 148, Auckland Aero 201, Hamilton 170, New Plymouth 226, Masterton 155, Dannevirke 133, Gisborne 167, Napier 165, Wairoa 160, Paraparaumu 180, Ohakea 202, Palmerston North 180, Levin 158, Wellington 198, Stratford 172, Wanganui 191, Westport 193, Arapito 173, Hokitika 182, Greymouth 172, Nelson 229, Blenheim 213, Grassmere 210, Kaikoura 188, Mt Cook 159, Methven 205, Christchurch 200, Timaru 188, Oamaru Aero 170, Omarama 211, Palmerston 185, Dunedin Aero 152, Dunedin 143, Queenstown 187, Cromwell 212, Alexandra 208, Invercargill 124].
Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations).
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April 19, 2012, 07:34:56 PM