April 1980: Throughout most of New Zealand April was slightly wetter and cooler than usual, and the month was notable for the absence of strong winds. Mean monthly pressures were above normal over the whole country for the first time since November 1979. Farmers reported that grass growth was very good during the month in most parts, but lambs needed more sunshine and drier pastures.
Rainfall: The only areas with below normal rainfall this month were Northland, Auckland, parts of Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, the West Coast, and Southland. At Invercargill Airport only 20mm fell, the lowest April figure since the station began in 1941. Whangarei recorded its lowest total since 1958.
The wettest areas were Manawatu, Wellington, Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa, Marlborough, and parts of Otago and Canterbury. Timaru had its highest April total (records from 1897), and the highest 1-day fall (72mm) since 1957. Some stations in Marlborough, Canterbury and Otago exceeded 200% of average. A slowmoving depression over the North Island brought heavy rain to many eastern districts from the 9th to the 11th. Southwest of Martinborough, some families were evacuated when the Ruamahanga River threatened to broach its banks, and Martinborough was almost isolated. Ngaumu forest had 153mm between 7am on the 9th and 10am on the 11th. Rainfall from this system also caused flooding in the Blenheim region and families were evacuated from areas near the Taylor River. The railway line and roads south of Blenheim were closed by surface water and land slips. From 6am on the 9th and 5pm on the 11th, 85mm was recorded, the highest 2-day fall in April since 1957 (96mm).
Some totals: Dannevirke 182mm, Kaitoke 277mm, Blenheim 153mm (2nd highest), Timaru 163mm (highest); Thames 34mm, Milford 316mm, Te Anau 28mm (2nd lowest), Invercargill 20mm.
Temperatures: Temperatures were above normal by 0.5C in Nelson, Marlborough, the West Coast, parts of Canterbury and Otago. Throughout the rest of New Zealand they were below average by 0.5C to 1.0C. The only generally warm spell during the month was form the 24th to the 29th. Temperatures were very cold from the 2nd to the 5th when some east coast daily maxima were 5.0C less than usual.
29.3C maximum at Hororata on the 24th,
-5.2C minimum at Ophir on the 22nd.
Sunshine: Sunshine hours were above average in Auckland, parts of Bay of Plenty, South Canterbury, Otago and Southland by over 10 hours. In other districts there was a deficit of between 5 and 50 hours. Wellington experienced its second lowest total since 1938.
[Some totals: Kaitaia 157, Dargaville 150, Whangarei 146, Auckland 177, Tauranga 170, Whakatane 170, Rotorua 156, Taupo 141, Hamilton 148, New Plymouth 159, Masterton 130, Dannevirke 127, Gisborne 164, Napier 160, Ohakea 128, Palmerston North 97, Levin 104, Wellington 101, Stratford 126, Wanganui 134, Westport 131, Hokitika 114, Greymouth 116, Nelson 154, Blenheim 163, Kaikoura 116, Mt Cook 105, Methven 125, Christchurch 127, Tekapo 143, Timaru 137, Oamaru Aero 131, Omarama 153, Palmerston 142, Dunedin Aero 129, Dunedin 104, Te Anau 148, Queenstown 141, Alexandra 151, Gore 136, Invercargill 119, Campbell Is 20 {3rd lowest}, Chatham Is 77.]
Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations).
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May 05, 2015, 09:50:56 PM