NZ weather summary November 1966

[Rwood]

November 1966: November was cloudy and cool, and also wetter and more unsettled than usual. The additional rain was appreciated after the comparatively dry weather of September and October in most areas. However, unsettled conditions delayed shearing, especially in the North Island.

Rainfall: Rainfall was more than double the average value in parts of Nelson and Bay of Islands. It was also well above average in central Canterbury, central Hawkes Bay, and parts of eastern Northland, Auckland, Taupo, Wanganui and Central Otago. Elsewhere rainfall was fairly close to average, though predominantly somewhat greater. On the afternoon of the 18th a thunderstorm in Christchurch was accompanied by hail and unusually heavy rain. In parts of the city as much as 1.5” of rain were recorded in half an hour, with street flooding.

Temperatures: Temperatures were mainly 1F-2F below average. There were two cold spells, about 5-12 and 19-23 November, with snow well down on the ranges.

Sunshine: Over the greater part of the North Island and most inland districts of the South Island sunshine was 20-50 hours below average. In coastal districts of the South Island and also in Southland, Taranaki, Gisborne, Auckland and Northland, it was close to, or a little below, average [average or better in Westland, near normal in Manawatu-Horowhenua].

[Some totals: Kaitaia 186, Kerikeri 204, Whangarei 177, Auckland 189, Tauranga 182, Whakatane 188, Taupo 166, Opotiki 162, Hamilton 170, New Plymouth 187, Masterton 155, Gisborne 208, Napier 178, Wairoa 197, Paraparaumu 193, Ohakea 171, Palmerston North 160, Levin 173, Wellington 176, Stratford 178, Ohakune 154, Wanganui 170, Westport 173, Hokitika 183, Greymouth 167, Haast 188, Riwaka 217, Nelson 212, Blenheim 212, Grassmere 191, Kaikoura 183, Mt Cook 112, Mt John 213, Methven 184, Christchurch 178, Tekapo 214, Timaru 173, Waimate 165, Dunedin Aero 161, Dunedin 166, Oamaru 164, Queenstown 173, Alexandra 192, Invercargill 164, Campbell Is 90, Chatham Is 156].

Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations) - additional comments by the poster.

• Tweet

[Rwood]

A month with little to recommend it.

[ato2]

Had scholarship exams that month. We had to sit them away from the school and I remember getting rained upon on several occasions as I headed off down town.

[Rwood]

A month with little to recommend it.
Had scholarship exams that month. We had to sit them away from the school and I remember getting rained upon on several occasions as I headed off down town.
[/quote]

I was sitting them in November 1960, in an atypically benign Invercargill spring.