November 1976: November was the fourth successive month with an unusually high frequency of winds from an easterly quarter, bringing cloudy cold conditions east of the ranges and also causing a large relative deficiency of rainfall in some western areas of the South Island.
Rainfall: In the South Island, except for Nelson and North Canterbury, rainfall was below normal, mainly by about 50%. It was less than 1/4 of the normal value in the Mackenzie Basin and in parts of the Alps. Rainfall was also somewhat below normal over the greater part of the North Island. However, it was well above normal in some districts with an easterly aspect, especially Coromandel and eastern Northland. Rainfall has been exceptionally low for some months on the West Coast and in the Alps. In the 5 months to the end of November, Milford Sound received only 917mm, easily its lowest for any 5-month period; and conditions have been similar at Mt Cook.
Some monthly totals (mm): Whangarei 201, Whangapoua Forest 284, Mangere 169, Ruatoria 231, Nelson 148; Levin 29, Milford 161, Blenheim 19, Tekapo 7, Cromwell 12.
Temperatures: Temperatures were below normal except on the West Coast, where they were close to normal. Departures averaged just over 1C in both islands, with highest values of up to 2.5C in Marlborough and Canterbury. East of the ranges in both islands it was coldest November since 1946. In about the same areas, and especially in Canterbury, it was also by far the coldest spring season since 1946. The coldest period was from the 10th to the 14th. On the 9th and 10th and exceptionally late fall of snow affected Invercargill and Christchurch, the South Island high country, and the hills near Wellington.
26.2C maximum at Wanaka on the 30th,
-6.9C minimum at Golden Downs forest on the 11th.
Sunshine: Sunshine was below normal by 30-70 hours in eastern districts from Gisborne to North Otago. It was above normal by 20-55 hours on the Southland Plain, on the West Coast, and also in most western North Island districts.
[Some totals: Kaitaia 203, Dargaville 203, Whangarei 192, Auckland 206, Tauranga 227, Whakatane 200, Rotorua 210,Taupo 199, Hamilton 222, Te Kuiti 200, Taumarunui 199, New Plymouth 240, Masterton 183, Dannevirke 138, Gisborne 174, Napier 180, Wairoa 186, Paraparaumu 238, Ohakea 233, Palmerston North 191, Levin 209, Wellington 228, Stratford 203, Wanganui 226, Westport 215, Hokitika 233, Greymouth 215, Riwaka 219, Nelson 221, Blenheim 232, Grassmere 196, Kaikoura 144, Mt Cook 157, Mt John 244, Methven 168, Christchurch 179, Tekapo 251, Timaru 149, Oamaru Aero 173, Omarama 226, Palmerston 143, Dunedin 161, Te Anau 198, Queenstown 205, Alexandra 249, Gore 206, Invercargill 193].
Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations) - additional comments by the poster.
Share Topic
February 12, 2012, 08:58:36 PM