A small challenge for anyone interested. 12 sets of locations, 12 choices for the wettest and driest months - try and guess some or all of the correct pairings.

The sites (2 for each pattern):

(A) Arthurs Pass & Franz Josef
(B) Dannevirke & Waiouru
(C) Dargaville & Chatham Is
(D) Gisborne & Cape Reinga
(E) Invercargill & Stewart Is
(F) Mt Cook & Milford
(G) Methven & Orari
(H) Oamaru & Dunedin
(I)  Palmerston North & Wanganui
(J) Takaka & Queenstown
(K) Tekapo & Nelson
(L) Thames & Gt Barrier (Port Fitzroy)


The pairings (wettest month first, driest second):

(1) Jan, Jul 
(2) May, Feb
(3) May, Aug
(4) Jun, Jan
(5) Jun, Mar
(6) Jul, Jan
(7) Jul, Feb
(8 ) Jul, Nov
(9) Oct, Feb
(10) Oct, Jul
(11) Dec, Jun
(12) Dec, Sep


There are many other pairings of months that occur in a list of 120-odd sites, but I have just picked some cases where the "winning"
months are clearcut. the answers are not very obvious, especially for the South Island locations. The averages are derived from varying periods
of up to 100+ years.

Some early hints:

(1) Places that have November as their driest month are not likely to be in the west, given the increase in westerlies in late spring.

(2) Most North Island locations have their wettest month in winter.

In the meantime, another hint - South Island mountain and West Coast locations somewhat reverse the typical North Island pattern.

OK will do:  (B) Dannevirke & Waiouru matches (7) Wettest July, driest February; one of the common North Island patterns (also true for a modest portion of the South Is.)

Gisborne and Cape Reinga a good guess but not correct. Think of the dryness typical in spring along the east coasts and parts of the far north (remember these are long term records so 2018 doesn't count for much). Arthurs and Franz Josef - your wet month is too close to winter …