May 1962:  It was exceptionally mild, with unusually good pasture growth. It was also a good month for stock, except in parts of the Auckland province, Nelson and Marlborough, where the ground was too wet after excessive rain. Some effects of the unusually mild autumn include plants flowering out of season, raspberries producing an extra crop, and no snow for the start of the ski season in the North Island.

Rainfall: Rainfall was above average over nearly the whole of Auckland, Nelson, Marlborough, Westland and Canterbury. In Bay of Plenty, Nelson and Marlborough it was mainly at least double the average. Rotorua with 18.25” had its wettest May in over 75 years of records, and in the surrounding area totals reached 32” in some places. Both in Bay of Plenty and the Nelson-Marlborough area nearly all the rain fell in 3 periods, the 3rd, 17th-20th, and 30th-31st. The second period caused flooding in the Rangitaiki Plains of the eastern Bay of Plenty, and the period at the end of the month caused flooding in this same area and also in parts of Nelson and Northland. It was appreciably drier than usual in the North Island south of Hawera and Gisborne (except in southern Manawatu and Wellington) and also over most of Otago and Southland.

Temperatures: Temperatures were above normal over the whole country, mainly by about 4F. Highest departures, exceeding 5F, were recorded in Bay of Plenty, about Cook Strait, and in Canterbury from Christchurch northward. In some of these areas it was the warmest May on record. Frosts were much less frequent than usual. [Before 2007 this was the warmest May; 2007 equalled it, and 2016 is now the warmest May].

Sunshine: Sunshine was below average over nearly the whole of the Auckland province by 20-50 hours; also in Canterbury, by 20-30 hours. The only areas favoured with more than 20 hours above average were Wanganui and southern Hawkes Bay, with parts of northern Manawatu and Central Otago.

[Some totals: Te Hapua 99, Kaitaia 115, Kerikeri 80, Whangarei 108, Auckland 133, Tauranga 111, Whakatane 117, Taupo 110, Opotiki 124, Hamilton 95, New Plymouth 141, Masterton 135, Gisborne 144, Napier 146, Wairoa 137, Paraparaumu 140, Ohakea 145, Palmerston Nth 136, Levin 123, Wellington 131, Ohakune 142, Wanganui 158, Westport 132, Hokitika 113, Greymouth 90, Haast 107, Nelson 166, Blenheim 154, Grassmere 146, Kaikoura 104, Mt Cook 64, Methven 128, Christchurch 103, Tekapo 132, Timaru 106, Waimate 100, Oamaru 91, Omarama 129, Dunedin Aero 114, Dunedin 111, Queenstown 96, Alexandra 148, Invercargill 104, Campbell Is 13, Chatham Is 74].


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