NZ weather summary February 1972

[Rwood]

February 1972:  February was dry and sunny; in the South Island it was one of the driest months on record. An unusually high frequency of southerly winds brought more relatively cool and cloudy weather east of the ranges than elsewhere. In most districts farming conditions were considered to be too dry, though it was welcomed in Otago and Southland after the unsettled spell in January.

Rainfall: The only area with rainfall above normal was part of the ranges of Gisborne and Hawkes Bay with Wairoa. In the North Island totals were about half the normal value, in the South Island only a third. Westland, the Alps, the Canterbury high country, and the greater part of Central Otago received less than a quarter of the average rainfall. Lakes Wakatipu, Hawea, Wanaka and Ohau with an area extending to Paringa in South Westland had totals of less than a tenth of the normal.

30mm at Mt Cook (10% of normal), 5mm at Tekapo, 4mm at Albert Town, 5mm at Cromwell.

Temperatures: Temperatures were below normal east of the ranges, except in Otago, by up to nearly 2C (in Hawkes Bay). They were above normal by up to 1C on the West Coast, in the Alps and in Central Otago. On average the North Island was 0.7C cooler than normal while the South Island was close to normal. The coolest period was the first 10 days.

Sunshine:  Sunshine was above normal by up to 90 hours, except in eastern districts, where it was mainly close to normal. Western districts, the Taumarunui-Taupo-Taihape area, and inland Canterbury were especially favoured. Lake Tekapo’s total of 276 hours was a record for February but New Plymouth’s 281 hours was the highest.

[Some totals:  Kaitaia 207, Kerikeri 188, Whangarei 185, Leigh 216, Auckland 225, Tauranga 234, Whakatane 246, Taupo 244, Opotiki 251, Auckland Aero 244, Hamilton 233, New Plymouth 281, Masterton 200, Gisborne 188, Napier 200, Wairoa 179, Paraparaumu 236, Ohakea 253, Kairanga 231, Palmerston North 199, Levin 221, Wellington 216, Stratford 238, Ohakune 249, Wanganui 240, Takaka 242, Westport 250, Hokitika 225, Greymouth 214, Haast 216, Riwaka 269, Nelson 259, Blenheim 242, Grassmere 189, Kaikoura 170, Mt Cook 199, Mt John 277, Methven 215, Christchurch 201, Tekapo 276, Timaru 202, Waimate 183, Omarama 244, Palmerston 201, Dunedin Aero 170, Dunedin 181, Oamaru 184, Queenstown 244, Alexandra 243, Invercargill 199, Raoul Is 190, Campbell Is 74, Chatham Is 142].

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

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[Rwood]

This would have been a brilliant month for scenic travel in the western, northern and inland areas, especially in the South Island.