June 1964: June was a comparatively dry month in the South Island, and also cloudier than usual over most of the country. In general farmers were finding the winter a good one. The long dry spell affecting Hawkes Bay and other eastern districts since October was broken by heavy rain, though it was too late in some areas.
Rainfall: Rainfall was less than half the average value in the South Island, except for Nelson and Marlborough and the south coast. In parts of North and Central Otago totals were exceptionally low. Clyde had only 0.03”, the lowest for June in nearly 70 years of record; and Oamaru had 0.18”, the lowest in 80 years of record. Central and western districts of the North Island and Northland were mainly somewhat drier than average. However, near the east coast from Cape Palliser to East Cape and also in parts of Coromandel rainfall was from 150% to 300% of the average value. The 12th-14th and the 21st-22nd were two periods with heavy rain in parts of the North Island. On the 21st-22nd Warkworth received 5.38”, with flooding in the district. Some heavy falls were also reported at this time in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa.
Temperatures: Temperatures were close to average, except in Northland, where they were 1F above. A cold spell on the 9th-10th brought snow to low levels in parts of Southland, Otago and Canterbury.
Sunshine: Sunshine was below average by 10-45 hours except in the Taranaki-Taumarunui area, on the West Coast, in coastal Otago, and in the Otago Lakes district. Deficiencies of more than 30 hours were reported from parts of Bay of Plenty, Marlborough, Canterbury and Central Otago. Tauranga had its lowest June sunshine on record (lowered in 1968).
[Some totals: Te Hapua 121, Kaitaia 130, Kerikeri 110, Whangarei 89, Auckland 103, Tauranga 96, Whakatane 113, Taupo 98, Opotiki 111, Hamilton 91, New Plymouth 100, Masterton 90, Gisborne 109, Napier 117, Wairoa 97, Paraparaumu 120, Ohakea 99, Palmerston Nth 89, Levin 107, Wellington 92, Stratford 94, Ohakune 74, Wanganui 84, Westport 100, Hokitika 104, Greymouth 87, Haast 126, Nelson 128, Blenheim 118, Grassmere 99, Kaikoura 101, Mt Cook 69, Methven 96, Christchurch 83, Tekapo 69, Timaru 80, Waimate 87, Dunedin Aero 100, Dunedin 89, Queenstown 83, Alexandra 66, Invercargill 54, Campbell Is 5, Chatham Is 46].
Sources: NZ Met. Misc. pub. 107 (Climatological table, NZ Gazette) and NZ Met. Misc. pub. 109 (Meteorological Observations) - additional comments by the poster.
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June 06, 2018, 03:11:53 PM