November 1972:  November was a warm month but unusually cloudy in the North Island. It was also rather dry. The lack of rain was particularly noticeable in Gisborne and Hawkes Bay, where it had persisted for several months, and in Marlborough, where this month was very dry. There was some relief from good rains at the end of the month.

Rainfall: Rainfall was mainly only 3/4 of the normal value. In Central Marlborough it was less than 1/4 of the average. Rainfall was above normal on the West Coast and in parts of Canterbury; also in parts of Northland and of the Coromandel-Waikato-Waitomo area. Some heavy downpours were reported in northern districts of the North Island during thunderstorms on the 20th and 30th.

224mm rainfall at Tairua, 18mm at Palmerston North Aero, 5mm at Grassmere, 9mm at Alexandra.

Temperatures:  Temperatures were above normal by 2C in the North Island and by 1.5C in the South Island. Highest departures were recorded in Taumarunui, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, and Hawkes Bay, where this was by far the warmest November for at least 40 years. For the North Island as a whole this was one of the warmest Novembers on record; other warm Novembers were in 1923 and 1934. The first half of the month was warmer than the second half. The spring season has been a warm one generally and the warmest on record in eastern districts from Gisborne to Canterbury.

31.1C maximum at Darfield on the 12th, -3.4C minimum at Moa Creek on the 19th.

Sunshine: Sunshine was below normal over most of the North Island and in Nelson, Central Otago and coastal Southland. The deficiency was greatest in western and northern districts, where it reached 80 hours in some areas. It was by far the cloudiest November on record for a number of stations, including Whakarewarewa, Ruakura, and New Plymouth.

[Some totals:  Kaitaia 126, Kerikeri 174, Whangarei 176, Leigh 178, Auckland 155, Tauranga 178, Whakatane 176, Taupo 151, Opotiki 153, Auckland Aero 157, Hamilton 135, New Plymouth Aero 147, Masterton 163, Gisborne 219, Napier 197, Wairoa 209, Paraparaumu 123, Ohakea 136, Kairanga 141, Palmerston North 111, Levin 110, Wellington 150, Stratford 136, Ohakune 156, Wanganui 141, Takaka 161, Westport 129, Hokitika 146, Greymouth 118, Haast 121, Riwaka 188, Nelson 151, Blenheim 203, Grassmere 178, Kaikoura 184, Mt Cook 153, Mt John 224, Methven 183, Christchurch 192, Tekapo 207, Timaru 163, Waimate 152, Omarama 185, Palmerston 196, Dunedin Aero 151, Dunedin 164, Oamaru 155, Queenstown 190, Alexandra 203, Invercargill 144, Raoul Is 206, Campbell Is 78, Chatham Is 164].

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

It has must been a terrible month of sunshine.