September 1975:   September was comparatively dry in many parts of the country. In some areas the dry weather slowed up growth. Lambing conditions were mainly favourable but in some northern districts of the North Island more sun was wanted.

Rainfall: Rainfall was below normal over the greater part of the country, mainly by 25-50%.The deficiency exceeded 50% around and east of Rotorua, in Wellington and southern Wairarapa, and in parts of North Otago. The main areas with rainfall more than 50% above normal were most of Northland and Coromandel, and parts of Gisborne and Hawkes Bay. In the former two a large proportion of this rain fell during the passage of two depressions across Northland on the 2nd-3rd and the 28th-29th. Coromandel town received 108mm on the 3rd and 103mm on the 29th. Flooding was reported in both regions, and gales on the first occasion.

Some monthly totals (mm): Kaikohe 282, Whangarei Aero 307, Paeroa 233, Gisborne 127; Rotorua 45, Ohakea 43, Kelburn 39, Nelson 19, Blenheim 14, Christchurch 19, Oamaru Aero 12.

Temperatures:   Mean temperatures were close to normal. The two warmest days were the 19th and the 30th; and on the 19th Invermay, Taieri, recorded its highest September maximum in over 30 years of record, 24.4C.

25.4C maximum at Berwick Forest on the 19th, -6.3C minimum at Ophir on the 2nd.

Sunshine:   Sunshine was mainly 25-30 hours below normal in northern districts of the North Island. On the other hand, it was somewhat above normal in most southern and eastern districts of the South Island.

[Some totals: Kaitaia 156, Kaikohe 128, Leigh 168, Auckland 143, Tauranga 150, Whakatane 177, Taupo 158, Hamilton 149, Taumarunui 102, New Plymouth 160, Masterton 166, Dannevirke 141, Gisborne 163, Napier 178, Paraparaumu 176, Ohakea 154, Palmerston North 130, Levin 151, Wellington 170, Stratford 137, Wanganui 149, Westport 154, Hokitika 147, Greymouth 137, Haast 164,  Riwaka 211, Nelson 210, Blenheim 223, Kaikoura 195, Mt Cook 130, Methven 181, Christchurch 183, Tekapo 192, Timaru 173, Waimate 178, Omarama 186, Palmerston 169, Dunedin 152, Te Anau 139, Queenstown 174, Alexandra 204, Gore 162, Invercargill 135, Chatham Is 122].

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