March 1972: This was the wettest March for at least 50 years over the North Island. It was also generally warm and cloudy. South of Auckland winds from a westerly quarter were more frequent than usual. The warm wet weather was generally appreciated after February’s dryness, but conditions were too wet in Bay of Plenty, while in Canterbury conditions remained very dry with some feed shortages.
Rainfall: Over the North Island rainfall was 250% of the normal value. Bay of Plenty and most of Waikato and Auckland had over 300%. Greatest excesses were recorded between Tauranga and Whakatane; near the tip of the Coromandel peninsula; and on the east coast from Warkworth to Waipu. In these areas the totals of 300-700mm were the highest ever for March. In the South Island rainfall was mainly above normal, being more than double in Fiordland, parts of Southland, and parts of Nelson. However, it was below normal in Canterbury, being less than half in some inland areas. In northern districts of the North Island 90% of the rain fell in one week, from the 4th-10th, with a trough of low pressure stationary from wet to east over the area. Stony Bay on Coromandel peninsula had 661mm for the month, of which 605mm fell during this week. The worst flooding was on the Rangitaiki Plains.
Some totals: Kerikeri 294mm, Albert Park 247mm, Port Fitzroy 560mm, Tauranga 346mm, Whakatane 368mm, Waimana 450mm, Hamilton 239mm, Gisborne 192mm, Franz Josef 776mm, Milford Sound 1372mm, Alexandra 82mm, Christchurch Aero 25mm.
Temperatures: Temperatures were above normal by 1C-2C with highest departures in the east from Canterbury to southern Hawkes Bay.
32.6C maximum at Kaikoura on the 11th and Ashburton on the 23rd.
Sunshine: Sunshine was below normal by 30-50 hours west of the main ranges and over most of Southland. Greatest deficiencies were recorded in Northland and Auckland. The only area with sunshine appreciably above normal was the Kaikoura Coast with part of coastal Canterbury.
[Some totals: Kaitaia 137, Kerikeri 118, Whangarei 132, Leigh 145, Auckland 168, Tauranga 163, Whakatane 166, Taupo 153, Opotiki 156, Auckland Aero 172, Hamilton 159, New Plymouth 155, Masterton 191, Gisborne 186, Napier 188, Wairoa 172, Paraparaumu 150, Ohakea 152, Kairanga 140, Palmerston North 128, Levin 112, Wellington 162, Stratford 146, Ohakune 151, Wanganui 139, Takaka 174, Westport 135, Hokitika 144, Greymouth 134, Haast 126, Riwaka 196, Nelson 182, Blenheim 219, Grassmere 193, Kaikoura 189, Mt Cook 110, Mt John 221, Methven 205, Christchurch 195, Tekapo 206, Timaru 154, Waimate 157, Omarama 184, Palmerston 169, Dunedin Aero 153, Dunedin 138, Oamaru 158, Queenstown 182, Alexandra 191, Invercargill 114, Raoul Is 197, Campbell Is 73, Chatham Is 141].
Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations).
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June 28, 2019, 04:56:07 PM