March 1980: Pressures were below normal over the whole of New Zealand for the 4th consecutive month. Strong westerly winds were more frequent than usual in the north of the North Island. In the south of the South Island there was a greater frequency than usual of north-easterly winds. Over most of New Zealand March was a wet, cool and cloudy month. From the 1st-3rd a depression of tropical origin moved across central New Zealand bringing rain and gale force winds to many districts. In the Auckland area gusts to more than 83 km/h caused yachts to break their moorings and run aground, and many houses lost roofs and had windows smashed. A further storm on the 15th/16th damaged yachts, houses and power lines when winds gusted to 106 km/h in Auckland. The associated rain caused slips which blocked the main trunk railway north of Auckland. Ground conditions had generally become very wet by the end of the month.
Rainfall: The only areas with rainfall below normal for the month were parts of Northland, Bay of Plenty, Nelson, the West Coast, Otago, and Southland. Some areas in these districts had less than 75% of their normal rainfall. The wettest areas were in Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa, Marlborough, the Kaikoura Coast, and North Canterbury. Departures of 200-400% above normal were reported in Hawkes Bay and Kaikoura. During the period 9am/1st-9am/5th, 335mm of rain were recorded at Kaikoura. On the 2nd the 1-day fall was 235mm, the highest in any month since the station began in 1950. The east coast railway line from Picton was closed by numerous slips, and many inland roads were also closed. Some families were evacuated as flood waters rose in western areas of the town. The month’s total of 384mm was more than 400% above normal. At Albert Park 78mm of rain were recorded in the 6 hours from 9am to 3pm on the 15th, the 4th highest 6-hour fall in any month there.
Some monthly totals (mm): Albert Park 156, Mt Bruce 337, Napier 184, Kelburn 183, Stratford Mountain House 787, Grassmere 270, Timaru 132; Fox Glacier 308, Nelson 69, Moa Creek 27.
Temperatures: Temperatures were below normal over the whole country apart from some areas in Southland. In Bay of Plenty they were below average by more than 1.5C, and in Northland, Auckland, Manawatu, Wellington, Wairarapa, Canterbury and parts of Otago by 1.0C. Both daytime maxima and night time minima were lower than usual in most districts. The only warm spell was form the 4th-6th and the coldest day was the 18th. Kelburn recorded its lowest March minimum (5.0C) since 1949 on the 18th.
28.8C maximum at Blenheim on the 13th,
-4.0C minimum at Moa Creek on the 18th.
Sunshine: The only areas with near normal sunshine hours were Northland, Waikato, North Canterbury-Kaikoura, parts of Otago, and Southland. In Bay of Plenty, Poverty Bay, Manawatu, Wellington, Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay, Marlborough, and the West Coast totals were between 60% and 80% of normal. The following stations recorded their lowest March totals since records began in the years indicated: Gisborne 146 (1938), Masterton 103 (1930), and Blenheim 146 (1930).
[Some totals: Kaitaia 175, Dargaville 150, Waitangi 171, Whangarei 158, Auckland 163, Tauranga 158, Whakatane 201, Rotorua 169, Taupo 149, Hamilton 175, New Plymouth 164, Masterton 103, Dannevirke 103, Gisborne 147, Napier 156, Wairoa 158, Paraparaumu 142, Ohakea 141, Palmerston North 107, Levin 117, Wellington 146, Stratford 125, Wanganui 139, Westport 125, Arapito 119, Hokitika 135, Greymouth 123, Nelson 172, Blenheim 147, Grassmere 135, Kaikoura 160, Mt Cook 104, Mt John 186, Methven 158, Christchurch 163, Tekapo 192, Timaru 124, Oamaru Aero 124, Omarama 159, Palmerston 134, Dunedin 135, Te Anau 150, Queenstown 174, Cromwell 164, Alexandra 166, Gore 130, Invercargill 141].
Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations).
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May 05, 2015, 09:50:56 PM