NZ weather summary May 1972

[Rwood]

May 1972: May was marked by a greater frequency of southwesterly winds than usual, and it was predominantly a wet month but rather sunny. Excessive cloud and rain in parts of Otago and Southland made the ground too wet for farmers but elsewhere conditions were mainly favourable. The heaviest rains were from the 13th to the 16th, and gales were widespread over this period with some damage, especially from easterlies in Greymouth.

Rainfall: Rainfall was above normal over almost all the South Island. It was more than double the normal value in an area mainly on the east coast of the South Island and 50 miles inland from Timaru to Balclutha but also extending northward to the upper Waimakariri catchment and westward in the south as far as Gore. Unusually high totals of more than 4 times the normal were recorded inland from Oamaru. Duntroon received 165mm, a record in 57 years of observation, of which 102mm fell on the 16th. Rainfall was somewhat above normal over the greater part of the North Island. However, it was below normal there in most eastern districts besides Bay of Plenty and northern Northland.

Some totals: New Plymouth 176mm, Stratford Mountain House 820mm, Riwaka 210mm, Tekapo 148mm, Timaru 117mm, Musselburgh 144mm; Cromwell 35mm.

Temperatures: Temperatures were mainly 0.5C below normal in the North Island and on the West Coast, but the same amount above normal over the remainder of the South Island. Snow was reported to low levels in Southland and Otago and on the high country of both islands from the 29th to the 31st. Lighter falls were reported in some areas on the 13th-14th and on the 24th-25th.

29.7C maximum at Lincoln on the 6th, -8.8C minimum at Mt Cook on the 7th.

Sunshine: Sunshine was mainly above or close to normal but it showed wide variations. Eastern districts of the North Island were favoured with 40-55 hours above normal, Napier’s 198 hours being a record high value in 38 years of observation. On the other hand, parts of Southland received nearly 40 hours below normal, and the West Coast was down by 25 hours.

[Some totals:  Kaitaia 153, Kerikeri 143, Whangarei 136, Leigh 134, Auckland 125, Tauranga 165, Whakatane 195, Taupo 133, Opotiki 186, Auckland Aero 127, Hamilton 114, New Plymouth 129, Masterton n/a, Gisborne 191, Napier 198, Wairoa 188, Paraparaumu 136, Ohakea 133, Kairanga 126, Palmerston North 114, Levin 123, Wellington 137, Stratford 123, Ohakune 83, Wanganui 124, Takaka 189, Westport 94, Hokitika 96, Greymouth 82, Haast 92, Riwaka 191, Nelson 191, Blenheim 195, Grassmere 172, Kaikoura 165, Mt Cook 80, Mt John 167, Methven 156, Christchurch 162, Tekapo 148, Timaru 136, Waimate 139, Omarama 159, Palmerston 127, Dunedin Aero 92, Dunedin 91, Oamaru 133, Queenstown 94, Alexandra 125, Invercargill 55, Raoul Is 169, Campbell Is 13, Chatham Is 61].

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

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[Rwood]

Despite a high prevalence of southwesterly winds, most of the South Island was a little warmer than average. A sunny month in the east from Canterbury to Bay of Plenty. Second lowest May sunshine for Invercargill, in another wet month.

[Sheldybett]

What year in May which Invercargill had lower sunshine?

[Rwood]

May 1940, with only 46 hours. Only in Otago and Southland was there a significant deficit, some areas being above average, especially in the far north (191 hours at Te Hapua). Despite this month Invercargill was a bit above average in 1940, with 1697 hours.