NZ weather summary February 1970

[Rwood]

February 1970:  February was a dry month over the greater part of the country. In western districts of the North Island rainfall had been inadequate back to October 1969, and in some of these areas even further back. The main North Island dairying areas were reporting serious drought conditions, but harvesting conditions were good. Forest fires were reported in many areas.

Rainfall: In the North Island rainfall was mainly only 1/4 of normal, but was close to zero in parts of Taihape and Manawatu, Kapiti Island getting only 0.01”. However, in Gisborne and parts of Hawkes Bay it was wetter than usual, with totals up to 3 times the average and exceeding 15” in places. In the South Island rainfall was mainly half the normal value. The deficiency was greatest in Marlborough, where a station near Seddon had only 0.06”. Rainfall was above average in Fiordland and western Southland besides parts of inland South Canterbury. For the first 2 months of the year rainfall was unusually low in many North Island districts. At Hamilton, with 1.18”, it was the lowest since 1946; and at Palmerston North, with 1.43”, it was the lowest since 1928. In northern Hawkes Bay and Gisborne totals as much as 8” were recorded on the 10th-11th, causing serious flooding in Wairoa.

Temperatures: Temperatures were mainly close to, or somewhat above, normal. However, in central and southern Hawkes Bay they were 2F cooler than usual. The month was marked by an unusually high frequency of southeasterly winds, especially up to the 17th, making this the cooler part of the month.

Sunshine: Sunshine was above normal by 30-70 hours in northern and some western districts of the North Island, besides Nelson and Marlborough with the greater part of Canterbury, and in coastal Southland. Motueka received 287 hours. Sunshine was below normal by 30-60 hours in Gisborne, with eastern Bay of Plenty and most of Hawkes Bay. Napier received only 161 hours {this was the 2nd of 3 consecutive cloudy Februaries for Gisborne and Hawkes Bay. The West Coast also had a significant surplus of sunshine hours}.

[Some totals:  Kaitaia 233, Kerikeri 215, Whangarei 207, Leigh 231, Auckland 252, Tauranga 226, Whakatane 223, Taupo 197, Opotiki 218, Auckland Aero 256, Hamilton 247, New Plymouth 260, Masterton 192, Gisborne 169, Napier 161, Wairoa 162, Paraparaumu 204, Ohakea 217, Kairanga 211, Palmerston North 194, Levin 194, Wellington 228, Stratford 223, Ohakune 187, Wanganui 223, Takaka 271, Westport 217, Hokitika 219, Greymouth 199, Haast 211, Riwaka 287, Nelson 269, Blenheim 260, Grassmere 231, Kaikoura 219, Mt Cook 145, Mt John 218, Methven 190, Christchurch 206, Tekapo 210, Timaru 172, Waimate 162, Omarama 179, Palmerston 185, Dunedin Aero 169, Dunedin 162, Oamaru 158, Queenstown 195, Alexandra 205, Invercargill 186, Campbell Is 60, Chatham Is 148]


Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations).

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[JennyLeez]

Thank you Rupert.
Interesting reading from 45 years ago.

Drought conditions were similar for the NI, however rain figures vastly different to this year.  Flooding in Wairoa with 381mm across the east coast. Those days are long gone. 200mm in a month is now heaps for us.
I would 'almost' welcome that at present

I will be interested to see how the sunshine hours pan out in another few days. The east coast of the NI is on track to be much the same as 1970.

Cheers

[Rwood]

Yes, there were some very strong rainfall contrasts over the country that month. In W'gton I think we are now in a somewhat drier than LTA epoch (but that is actually a bit overdue here).

[Rwood]

Comments and data content expanded slightly. A very sunny start to the year for Auckland, Waikato and Taranaki (relative to their normals).

[ato2]

I remember February 1970 well, as I was driving regularly between New Plymouth and Palmerston North. Very sunny in New Plymouth and much the same down to about Ohakea.