May 1977: Pressures were lower than normal over the whole country, with an unusually high frequency of winds from a southerly quarter, especially about central New Zealand. Temperatures were below normal over the whole country. Though some areas had the occasional warm spell, most experienced a number of very cold days. Farmers in Otago and Southland suffered extensive damage when a small depression crossed the area on the 2nd-3rd. Heavy rain and galeforce wins caused flooding and damage to private property in many areas. Stock losses were high with estimates of more than 3,000 sheep and 130 cattle lost. Potato, wheat and other crops were destroyed. On the 17th-18th gale force winds, snow and cold temperatures affected most areas of New Zealand. Communications, road and electricity services were disrupted in many places from Southland to Auckland. Heavy snowfalls closed roads as far north as Hawkes Bay on the east coast, and further to the north in central New Zealand. The first snowfall in many years in the hill suburbs of Wanganui occurred in this period. Stock in most areas were in good condition except in the hill country.
Rainfall: Rainfall was below normal by as much as 60% in parts of Hawkes Bay and Poverty Bay, with some areas of Northland, Nelson, West Coast and Canterbury below normal by up to 50%. Parts of Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki, Manawatu and Wellington were above normal by 30-60%. Certain areas of Otago and Southland were above normal by up to 120%. Stations at Invermay and Musselburgh recorded their wettest May since 1957; more than half the total fell in the first six days of the month.
Some totals: Te Kuiti 235mm, Stratford Mountain House 842mm, Wanganui 144mm, Musselburgh 161mm, Alexandra 44mm; Gisborne 37mm, Milford 249mm, Nelson 56mm, Pukaki 28mm, Timaru Aero 22mm.
Temperatures: Temperatures were below normal over the whole country. In the central North Island many areas were more than 2C below average, and many parts of both islands were more than 1C below average. Nelson Aero had 26 ground frosts in the month, a record high since the station opened in 1943. The coldest spell was the 17th-19th. [1992 was 0.1C colder; 1959 0.7C colder]
21.4C maximum at Napier on the 15th,
-10.0C minimum at Omarama on the 20th.
Sunshine: Sunshine was above normal by more than 20-30 hours in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Buller, Nelson and Marlborough. In Wairarapa, Otago and Southland it was below normal by 20-40 hours. The rest of the country had near normal sunshine.
[Some totals: Kaitaia 158, Dargaville 135, Waitangi 155, Auckland 163, Tauranga 182, Whakatane 192, Rotorua 186, Taupo 156, Hamilton 150, Te Kuiti 138, New Plymouth 157, Masterton 85, Dannevirke 75, Gisborne 140, Napier 151, Ohakea 139, Palmerston North 111, Levin 142, Wellington 123, Stratford 134, Wanganui 121, Westport 155, Hokitika 134, Greymouth 128, Riwaka 185, Nelson 185, Blenheim 198, Grassmere 180, Kaikoura 141, Mt Cook 85, Methven 129, Christchurch 115, Tekapo 141, Timaru 119, Oamaru Aero 120, Omarama 151, Palmerston 106, Dunedin 66, Te Anau 79, Queenstown 95, Alexandra 115, Invercargill 76.]
Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations).
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February 14, 2012, 03:47:19 PM