NZ weather summary April 1971

[Rwood]

April 1971:  April weather was a continuation of that of March. There was again an unusually high incidence of easterly to northeasterly winds over the North Island, with floods and slips from Hawkes Bay to Bay of Islands, while the rest of the country had sunny, warm, dry weather. In southern and western districts of the North Island and Canterbury the rainfall was inadequate for crops and pastures.

Rainfall: Rainfall was less than 3/4 of normal over most of the South Island and the greater part of the North Island. In the Taihape-Wanganui-Manawatu area it was less than 1/4 of normal and many stations had their lowest April rainfall. By contrast, rainfall was well above normal in Hawkes Bay and Gisborne, in Coromandel, and also in eastern areas from about Auckland to Bay of Islands, with considerable areas receiving more than 100% above normal. The heaviest rain occurred around Port Charles, which received 21”, of which about 9” fell in 6 hours during the night of 15-16 April. The main period of easterly rains was from the 10th-20th, with many thunderstorms. The persistence of easterly to northeasterly winds from November to April over the North Island has caused unusually low rainfall at Wellington over this period, the total of 11.32” being the lowest there since the same months in 1886-87 {There was a much lower value of 187mm in 2000-1}. Stations with unusually low rainfall from January to April include Christchurch and the Hermitage. On the other hand, Whangarei Aero’s total from January to April of 29.13” was the highest there since 1944.

Some totals: Marsden Point 516mm, Tauranga 179mm, Ruatoria 344mm, Takaka 233mm; Taupo 24mm, Wanganui 5mm (lowest), Mt Cook 91mm, Oamaru 9mm.

Temperatures: Temperatures were above normal by 0.5C-1.0C.

26.7C maximum at Waipukurau on the 1st, -6.5Cminimum at Molesworth on the 12th.

Sunshine:  The West Coast, Otago, Southland and the Mackenzie area besides Manawatu and Wellington were favoured with 30-60 hours above normal sunshine. Eastern and some northern districts of the North Island had 20-30 hours below normal.

[Some totals:  Kaitaia 162, Kerikeri 123, Whangarei 123, Leigh 127, Auckland 128, Tauranga 159, Whakatane 176, Taupo 143, Opotiki 165, Auckland Aero 134, Hamilton 152, New Plymouth 177, Masterton 158, Gisborne 130, Napier 154, Wairoa 141, Paraparaumu 205, Ohakea 196, Kairanga 196, Palmerston North 189, Levin 202, Wellington 184, Stratford 176, Ohakune 169, Wanganui 185, Takaka 182, Westport 157, Hokitika 179, Greymouth 164, Haast 185, Riwaka 190, Nelson 195, Blenheim 181, Grassmere 186, Kaikoura 190, Mt Cook 152, Mt John 218, Methven 187, Christchurch 163, Tekapo 208, Timaru 155, Waimate 147, Omarama 191, Palmerston 173, Dunedin Aero 176, Dunedin 169, Oamaru 164, Queenstown 158, Alexandra 182, Invercargill 139, Raoul Is 105 (lowest), Campbell Is 16 (lowest), Chatham Is 135]

Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations).

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[Rwood]

A very long persistence of east to northeast flow anomalies. Great for Wellington and other parts relatively sheltered from those directions.

[ato2]

Very close agreement between the three Manawatu sites re sunshine hours. Where was the Kairanga site located, I wonder? And for that matter, Palmerston North? I presume it was the airport?
I had no idea that a west coast location like Wanganui (as it was spelled then) could be so dry in April. Quite a month.

[Rwood]

Actually the 3 Manawatu sites normally had a good spread. Kairanga DSIR (as it was then) is about 15km west of Palmerston North. For the averages of the day, Ohakea about 2100 hours, Kairanga about 2000 and Palmerston North 1770. A substantial increase away from he ranges. Average rainfall at Wanganui is about 900mm and every month except August has had a reading of <10mm at some point. There are locales in Manawatu-Horowhenua with averages as low as 850mm (Waitarere and Foxton qualify, if I recall correctly).

[ato2]

Very close agreement between the three Manawatu sites re sunshine hours. Where was the Kairanga site located, I wonder? And for that matter, Palmerston North? I presume it was the airport?
I had no idea that a west coast location like Wanganui (as it was spelled then) could be so dry in April. Quite a month.

Actually the 3 Manawatu sites normally had a good spread. Kairanga DSIR (as it was then) is about 15km west of Palmerston North. For the averages of the day, Ohakea about 2100 hours, Kairanga about 2000 and Palmerston North 1770. A substantial increase away from he ranges. Average rainfall at Wanganui is about 900mm and every month except August has had a reading of <10mm at some point. There are locales in Manawatu-Horowhenua with averages as low as 850mm (Waitarere and Foxton qualify, if I recall correctly).
[/quote]
Much appreciated. When I was at Massey, I would frequently drive back and forth to New Plymouth and the change in weather conditions, especially my perception of the sunshine, became ingrained.