NZ weather summary April 1972

[Rwood]

April 1972: Although it was marked by an unusually high frequency of south-westerly winds, it was a warm month. Conditions were mainly favourable for farming, especially in the North Island. South-westerly gales were reported in many districts from the 17th-19th.

Rainfall: Rainfall was mainly somewhat below normal in the North Island and somewhat above normal in the South Island. Greatest deficiencies were recorded in Bay of Plenty, most of which had less than half the normal, with some eastern coastal areas below a quarter. Greatest excesses were recorded in two areas, both of which had more than 50% above normal. The first was an inland area extending through parts of Nelson, Buller and north Canterbury. The second consisted of Stewart Island, most of Southland and parts of South Otago.

Some totals: Greymouth 280mm, Milford 708mm, Invercargill 182mm; Waimate 25mm.

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

27.6C maximum at Hastings on the 5th, -6.9C minimum at Moa Creek on the 29th.

Sunshine: Sunshine was above normal by 20-40 hours in eastern and southern districts of the North Island. It was below normal by 20-40 hours in Buller and North Westland and by 20-30 hours in Otago and Southland.

[Some totals:  Kaitaia 148, Kerikeri 141, Whangarei 139, Leigh 155, Auckland 146, Tauranga 189, Whakatane 205, Taupo 179, Opotiki 200, Auckland Aero 148, Hamilton 158, New Plymouth 171, Masterton 172, Gisborne 202, Napier 201, Wairoa 196, Paraparaumu 171, Ohakea 178, Kairanga 169, Palmerston North 137, Levin 158, Wellington 167, Stratford 186, Ohakune 124, Wanganui 169, Takaka 200, Westport 98, Hokitika 120, Greymouth 101, Haast 147, Riwaka 200, Nelson 188, Blenheim 191, Grassmere 167, Kaikoura 169, Mt Cook 88, Mt John 164, Methven 154, Christchurch 148, Tekapo 164, Timaru 123, Waimate 120, Omarama 141, Palmerston 119, Dunedin Aero 95, Dunedin 82, Oamaru 111, Queenstown 105, Alexandra 132, Invercargill 82, Raoul Is 198, Campbell Is 31, Chatham Is 85].

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

• Tweet

[Rwood]

The second of a very bad run of cloudy wet months for Invercargill. Its March-July sunshine total of 382 hours is the lowest yet recorded for this period. This plus very wet conditions from March to June resulted in extremely saturated soils.