NZ weather summary August 1962

[Rwood]

August 1962:  It was a mild month. Winter temperatures generally have been the mildest for 40 or 50 years, and pasture growth in the South Island has started early. Small local tornadoes caused damage in New Plymouth and Whakatane on the 3rd. One was also reported at Te Mata, near Raglan, on the 29th.

Rainfall:  Rainfall was about 2/3 of the average value in eastern districts from central Hawkes Bay to Canterbury and also in parts of Southland and Westland. On the other hand, it was double the average in Central Otago, and 50% above in an area extending from south of Opotiki to Wairoa and Gisborne. Elsewhere it was mainly close to normal.

Temperatures: Temperatures were above average by 1F-2F in the North Island and by 1F in the South Island. Snow was reported on the high country of both islands and to fairly low levels in the South Island on the 5th and from about the 11th-14th.

Sunshine: Sunshine was mainly close to the average value. However, Canterbury was favoured with about 25 hours above normal, while Bay of Plenty, Wairarapa and the Southern Lakes district were below normal by a similar amount.

[Some totals: Te Hapua 174, Kaitaia 163, Kerikeri 142, Whangarei 143, Auckland 159, Tauranga 143, Whakatane 153, Taupo 128, Opotiki 144, Hamilton 146, New Plymouth 136, Masterton 120, Gisborne 158, Napier 154, Wairoa 155, Paraparaumu 136, Ohakea 137, Palmerston Nth 121, Levin 129, Wellington 128, Ohakune 133, Wanganui 148, Westport 146, Hokitika 146, Greymouth 135, Haast 138, Nelson 165, Blenheim 184, Grassmere 180, Kaikoura 177, Mt Cook 105, Methven 180, Christchurch 178, Tekapo 164, Timaru 168, Waimate 159, Oamaru 166, Omarama 158, Dunedin Aero 140, Dunedin 132, Queenstown 95, Alexandra 140, Invercargill 120, Campbell Is 33, Chatham Is 117].


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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