March 1961: March was cool, and also rather cloudy in the south. In Northland, Waikato and Gisborne it was the 2nd successive month of comparatively dry weather, and in northern Northland the 3rd. In parts of these districts pastures were very dry. Harvesting was delayed in parts of Otago and Southland by unsettled weather there. For the greater part of the country it was a good month for stock and crops, with the weather in the second half much more settled than in the first.

Rainfall: Rainfall was about half the average from Hamilton and Tauranga northward and also over most of Gisborne and Hawkes Bay. It was somewhat above average about Cook Strait, in and west of the Alps, and in Central Otago.

Temperatures: Temperatures were more than 1F cooler than usual over most of the South Island and in some western districts of the North Island. Most of Canterbury and Central Otago was 2F-4F below average. Snow fell on the ranges of both islands from the 12th-14th.

Sunshine: Sunshine was below average over most of the South Island and in southern and western districts of the North Island, mainly by about 20 hours. Parts of Waikato and the Bay of Plenty had about 20 hours above the normal sunshine.

[Some totals: Te Hapua 188, Kaitaia 181, Kerikeri 170, Whangarei 179, Auckland 208, Tauranga 224, Whakatane 241, Taupo 212, Hamilton 202, New Plymouth 175, Masterton 161, Gisborne 209, Napier 217, Wairoa 199, Paraparaumu 166, Ohakea 169, Palmerston North 143, Levin 153, Wellington 174, Wanganui 161, Westport 172, Hokitika 165, Greymouth 152, Haast 170, Nelson 220, Blenheim 213, Grassmere 177, Kaikoura 148, Mt Cook 148, Methven 163, Christchurch 145, Tekapo 218, Timaru 131, Waimate 118, Oamaru Aero 138, Omarama 202, Dunedin 115, Queenstown 184, Alexandra 189, Invercargill 129, Raoul Is 245, Campbell Is 70, Chatham Is 126].


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