October 1987: October was generally warmer, with drier than usual conditions in eastern regions of the North Island. North-easterlies predominated over the north of the North Island, with strong winds more frequent than usual. North-westerlies prevailed over the South Island, with strong winds being less frequent than usual. Some high wind gusts recorded in October were 152kph from the south, and 135kph from the west, at Kaikoura and Invercargill Airport respectively, on the 2nd. Heavy snow occurred in inland Canterbury on the 13th-14th. On the afternoon of the 13th maximum temperatures in Canterbury were 10C or more below average in the cold southerly conditions. Fresh snow was seen on the Rimutaka Range and on the tops of the Orongorongos on the 16th.
Rainfall: Rainfall was about twice normal for October at Blenheim, Lake Coleridge and Haast. Rainfall totals of 120%-160% of normal were recorded in Marlborough, Nelson, Canterbury, Westland, Otago and Southland. Large amounts of rain, totalling 265 and 235mm were recorded in the 24 hours to 9am/7th at Milford Sound and Franz Josef respectively. A total of just over 900mm was recorded for the month at Milford Sound. Rainfall was below normal along the east coast of the North Island. In Gisborne rainfall was only half normal. Very little rain was recorded in Hawkes Bay. Only 10mm (16% of normal) was recorded at Napier Airport, the lowest (equal with 1984) October value in records from 1950. The 3-month period August-October also had the lowest value since records began, with only 68mm (31% of normal).
Some totals (mm): Whangarei 172, North Egmont 876, Cropp Waterfall 1451, Franz Josef 865, Milford 913, Blenheim 81, Arthurs Pass 585, Dunedin Aero 83, Cromwell 44, Invercargill 132; Waipukurau 28, Havelock Nth 9, Wairoa 27.
Temperatures: Mean daily temperatures were 0.5 to 1.0C above normal over much of the North Island, and near, to 0.5C above normal in the South Island.
27.2C maximum at Eyrewell Forest on the 31st,
-6.3C minimum at Molesworth on the 1st.
Sunshine: Sunshine hours were 110%-115% of normal for October in Wellington, Kapiti and Wairarapa. It was cloudier in Taranaki, Waikato, Northland, Auckland, coastal Bay of Plenty and coastal Otago, where hours were 85%-90% of normal.
[Some totals: Kaitaia 123, Whangarei 105, Leigh 152, Tauranga 174, Whakatane 192, Rotorua 170, Taupo n/a, Auckland Aero 155, Whatawhata 142, New Plymouth 166, Masterton 226, Dannevirke 184, Martinborough 210, Gisborne 204, Napier 215, Wairoa 211, Paraparaumu 205, Ohakea 177, Palmerston North 158, Levin 163, Wellington 214, Stratford 150, Manaia 160, Takaka 195, Westport 174, Arapito 133, Hokitika 161, Greymouth 136, Nelson 211, Blenheim 241, Grassmere 222, Kaikoura 196, Mt Cook 162, Christchurch 194, Timaru 148, Palmerston 134, Dunedin Aero 140, Dunedin 123, Te Anau 164, Queenstown 194, Cromwell 210, Alexandra 180, Invercargill 154, Chatham Is 174 {2nd highest}].
Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations).
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April 21, 2012, 01:07:51 PM