July 1961: Although temperatures were about average, there was little settled weather during July, and in the 3rd week some serious flooding occurred in widely separated areas. It was not a particularly good month for farming, especially in most of the South Island, where there was too much rain and too little sunshine. Hill country farmers in the south lost some sheep to heavy snow in the first week, but with milder conditions later, stock in general were wintering reasonably well, with no lack of feed. A small tornado damaged several buildings in Rotorua on the 17th.

Rainfall: Rainfall was appreciably above average in most inland and eastern districts of the South Island, also in Wairarapa, southern Hawkes Bay, and Waikato. On the Canterbury plains and high country and in parts of inland Nelson and Marlborough, it was double the average. In inland districts of South Canterbury and North Otago rainfall was 4 times the average; in these districts it was the wettest July since 1929 and one of the wettest months on record. Elsewhere rainfall was mainly close to normal, but in parts of Northland, Gisborne and Central Otago it was drier than usual [only 10mm at Alexandra].

Widespread flooding was associated with the passage of a depression across the North Island from the 16th to the 18th. The main areas affected were: New Plymouth, with 115mm of rain in 12 hours on the 17th; the Waikato-Thames Valley area, with up to 125-150mm on 16th and 17th; and inland South Canterbury and North Otago together with the catchment of the Taieri River, with 125-200mm for the 17th-18th.

Temperatures: Temperatures were mainly close to normal. A considerable fall of snow was reported in the high country of both Islands from the 7th to the 9th.

Sunshine: Sunshine was below average over Canterbury, Otago and Southland, mainly by 20-40 hrs. The totals recorded at the Hermitage, Timaru, Waimate and Gore (58 hrs) were the lowest in 30-45 years of observation. [July 1977 surpassed this over much of Canterbury and Otago. The 62 hrs at Invercargill equalled 1987 as its lowest value.] Elsewhere sunshine was mainly close to normal. However parts of Northland, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Nelson and Marlborough were favoured with 15-25 hours more than usual.

[Some totals: Te Hapua 145, Kaitaia 160, Kerikeri 158, Whangarei 157, Auckland 142, Tauranga 169, Whakatane 173, Taupo 121, Hamilton 135, New Plymouth 146, Masterton 101, Gisborne 153, Napier 143, Wairoa 138, Paraparaumu 132, Ohakea 123, Palmerston North 112, Levin 130, Wellington 112, Wanganui 116, Westport 133, Hokitika 118, Greymouth 104, Haast 122, Nelson 174, Blenheim 171, Grassmere 166, Kaikoura 124, Mt Cook 58, Methven 123, Christchurch 107, Tekapo 95, Timaru 85, Waimate 92, Oamaru Aero 91, Omarama 113, Dunedin 78, Queenstown 69, Alexandra 90, Invercargill 62, Campbell Is 15, Chatham Is 86].


Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations) - additional comments by the poster.