22 MAY
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
665
CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for April 1958—continued
| Station | Height Above M.S.L. | Means of | Mean of A and B | Difference From Normal | Absolute Maximum and Minimum | Rainfall in Inches | Bright Sunshine |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | Ft. | °F. | °F. | °F. | Maxi-mum | Date | Mini-mum | Date | Total Fall In. | No. of Rain Days | Difference From Normal | Maximum Fall Amount | Date | Hrs. |
| Franz Josef | 450 | 58·2 | 41·5 | 49·8 | … | 67·1 | 1 | 31·2 | 26 | 19·81 | 18 | … | 4·27 | 8 | … |
| Ashley Forest | 460 | 63·0 | 43·2 | 53·1 | +0·2 | 78·4 | 1 | 34·2 | 29 | 2·59 | 7 | +0·13 | 0·89 | 3 | … |
| Darfield | 640 | 64·5 | 38·4 | 51·4 | -1·0 | 79·8 | 1 | 28·3 | 26 | 3·11 | 8 | +0·72 | 1·40 | 3 | … |
| Christchurch Airport† | 94 | 63·9 | 40·9 | 52·4 | … | 82·3 | 1 | 28·1 | 26 | 3·03 | 7 | … | 1·31 | 3 | 192 |
| Christchurch | 22 | 64·6 | 41·0 | 52·8 | -0·7 | 83·2 | 1 | 30·3 | 26, 29 | 3·20 | 8 | +1·35 | 1·19 | 3 | … |
| Wigram | 74 | 63·9 | 40·8 | 52·4 | -0·4 | 82·3 | 1 | 30·5 | 26 | 3·79 | 8 | +2·07 | 1·62 | 3 | … |
| Akaroa | 150 | 63·6 | 45·1 | 54·4 | -1·1 | 83·0 | 1 | 36·0 | 26 | 5·57 | 11 | +2·87 | 1·68 | 3 | 157 |
| Lincoln | 36 | 63·6 | 38·3 | 51·0 | -1·4 | 82·6 | 1 | 25·5 | 26 | 3·19 | 10 | +1·37 | 1·53 | 3 | 185 |
| Highbank | 1,102 | 61·2 | 41·4 | 51·3 | … | 72·0 | 5 | 33·0 | 27 | 3·38 | 9 | … | 1·83 | 3 | 195 |
| The Hermitage | 2,510 | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
| Winchmore | 626 | 61·6 | 38·1 | 49·8 | -1·4 | 77·4 | 1 | 28·5 | 29 | 2·99 | 7 | +0·69 | 1·19 | 3 | … |
| Haast | 15 | 57·6 | 42·5 | 50·0 | -3·8 | 66·8 | 15 | 33·0 | 26 | 14·80 | 22 | +3·49 | 1·91 | 3 | 145 |
| Ashburton | 323 | 64·2 | 38·9 | 51·6 | -1·0 | 81·2 | 1 | 28·8 | 22 | 2·95 | 6 | +0·54 | 1·14 | 3 | 173 |
| Fairlie | 1,004 | 62·7 | 37·1 | 49·9 | -0·3 | 75·5 | 16 | 25·0 | 19 | 1·95 | 7 | -0·42 | 1·46 | 3 | … |
| Timaru | 56 | 63·5 | 41·5 | 52·5 | -0·5 | 76·4 | 1 | 33·2 | 29 | 2·04 | 8 | +0·38 | 0·96 | 3 | 159 |
| Adair | 200 | 61·7 | 42·2 | 52·0 | -0·1 | 74·1 | 1 | 34·9 | 29 | 2·12 | 9 | +0·38 | 1·05 | 3 | … |
| Tara Hills, Omarama | 1,600 | 59·2 | 35·7 | 47·4 | -2·3 | 71·8 | 5 | 25·8 | 19 | 1·33 | 11 | -0·48 | 0·49 | 19 | 155 |
| Milford Sound | 20 | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
| Waimate | 200 | 64·8 | 42·0 | 53·4 | +0·8 | 79·2 | 2 | 31·2 | 11 | 2·58 | 11 | +0·74 | 1·04 | 3 | 147 |
| Naseby | 2,300 | 55·0 | 34·3 | 44·6 | … | 70·0 | 6 | 24·8 | 19 | 3·61 | 14 | … | 1·24 | 3 | … |
| Queenstown | 1,100 | 57·4 | 40·3 | 48·8 | -1·9 | 69·5 | 6 | 32·6 | 27 | 6·41 | 16 | +3·37 | 1·22 | 2 | 120 |
| Cromwell | 720 | 61·7 | 39·4 | 50·6 | +0·1 | 74·0 | 2 | 30·0 | 14 | 1·44 | 12 | -0·01 | 0·38 | 25 | … |
| Ophir | 1,000 | 59·3 | 35·5 | 47·4 | -1·9 | 73·0 | 6 | 23·0 | 14 | 2·27 | 12 | +0·80 | 0·84 | 3 | … |
| Moa Creek | 1,400 | 57·2 | 33·1 | 45·2 | … | 69·5 | 8 | 19·1 | 14 | 1·92 | 13 | … | 0·67 | 3 | … |
| Earnscleugh | 500 | 61·0 | 37·1 | 49·0 | -1·4 | 73·5 | 2 | 23·9 | 14 | 1·54 | 14 | +0·26 | 0·35 | 19 | … |
| Waipiata | 1,550 | 54·3 | 36·7 | 45·5 | -2·0 | 69·0 | 6 | 28·6 | 19 | 2·37 | 9 | +0·89 | 0·78 | 3 | 116 |
| Alexandra | 520 | 60·8 | 40·1 | 50·4 | -0·7 | 75·0 | 2 | 28·2 | 14 | 1·77 | 13 | +0·42 | 0·43 | 3 | 151 |
| Garston | 1,009 | 57·3 | 37·1 | 47·2 | … | 72·1 | 6 | 28·0 | 14 | 6·60 | 17 | … | 1·01 | 17 | … |
| Roxburgh Hydro | 350 | 60·4 | 42·0 | 51·2 | … | 74·9 | 2 | 34·0 | 14 | 3·41 | 16 | … | 0·58 | 21 | … |
| Mid Dome | 1,252 | 56·0 | 38·4 | 47·2 | … | 72·3 | 6 | 31·0 | 14 | 7·80 | 18 | … | 1·48 | 3 | … |
| Moa Flat, West Otago | 1,345 | 53·4 | 38·6 | 46·0 | … | 67·1 | 2 | 32·0 | 26 | 6·60 | 22 | +4·33 | 1·04 | 3 | … |
| Taieri | 80 | 58·8 | 41·3 | 50·0 | -1·3 | 73·5 | 2 | 30·0 | 19 | 3·47 | 16 | +1·37 | 0·89 | 3 | 113 |
| Musselburgh, Dunedin | 5 | 58·1 | 44·1 | 51·1 | -1·7 | 70·0 | 2 | 36·0 | 19 | 4·65 | 15 | +2·16 | 0·82 | 21 | 113 |
| Tapanui | 550 | 54·3 | 40·5 | 47·4 | … | 67·8 | 2 | 32·5 | 26 | 6·74 | 20 | … | 0·90 | 3, 17 | … |
| East Gore | 245 | 56·5 | 41·9 | 49·2 | -1·2 | 72·0 | 6 | 33·0 | 19, 20 | 7·14 | 21 | +4·29 | 0·90 | 17 | … |
| Gore | 240 | 56·1 | 41·6 | 48·8 | -1·9 | 71·0 | 2 | 33·0 | 19, 20 | 6·95 | 23 | +4·10 | 0·94 | 17 | 87 |
| Otautau | 180 | 57·3 | 41·5 | 49·4 | -0·3 | 71·0 | 6 | 31·8 | 14 | 10·67 | 20 | +7·07 | 1·68 | 24 | 101 |
| Pebbly Hills | 150 | 56·5 | 41·3 | 48·9 | … | 73·0 | 6 | 33·0 | 19 | 8·76 | 22 | +5·09 | 1·14 | 17 | … |
| Invercargill | 8 | 55·1 | 43·8 | 49·4 | -1·4 | 72·6 | 6 | 35·6 | 19 | 9·21 | 21 | +5·43 | 1·31 | 24 | … |
| Invercargill Airfield | 0 | 55·4 | 42·0 | 48·7 | -1·2 | 70·7 | 6 | 33·0 | 19 | 8·96 | 21 | +5·24* | 1·32 | 24 | 77 |
† Formerly known as Harewood
LATE RETURNS
| The Hermitage, Mar., 1958 | 2,510 | 64·6 | 43·6 | 54·1 | +0·0 | 77·0 | 7 | 22·0 | 30 | 30·37 | 18 | +14·68 | 9·25 | 29 | 131 |
| Fairlie, Mar., 1958 | 1,004 | 68·8 | 44·5 | 56·6 | +1·3 | 87·0 | 1 | 31·5 | 20 | 1·76 | 6 | -0·63 | 0·92 | 13 | … |
| Waipiata, Mar., 1958 | 1,550 | 64·9 | 45·9 | 55·4 | +0·8 | 77·0 | 6 | 36·0 | 20 | 2·39 | 7 | +0·82 | 0·86 | 13 | … |
| Roxburgh, Mar., 1958 | 350 | 70·3 | 49·0 | 59·6 | … | 88·0 | 1 | 36·0 | 30 | 1·11 | 12 | -0·41 | 0·23 | 10 | … |
NOTE.—At stations where departures from normal have an asterisk, the temperature record has been maintained for less than ten years, the rainfall record for less than twenty years. Rainfall normals have been revised and now refer to the standard period 1921–50. Where observations are not available for the whole period, or where the site of the rain gauge has been changed, the normals are partly interpolated.
NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR APRIL 1958
General: April was marked by the prevalence of strong south-westerly winds, especially in the second half of the month. In Southland and some other districts exposed to the south-west the weather was persistently unsettled, but elsewhere it was sunny though rather cool.
In Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay conditions were very dry, and in some areas a serious shortage of feed was reported. In many other parts of the country the dry, cool, windy weather retarded growth, but stock were mainly in good condition.
Gales were particularly widespread on the 21st, when they affected coastal Southland, the West Coast, Wanganui, and Taranaki.
Rainfall: In the Auckland and Hawke’s Bay provinces and in the Marlborough Sounds and parts of Nelson rainfall was less than half the normal value. The driest areas were central Hawke’s Bay, the Gisborne district, and the Bay of Plenty, with totals mainly less than half an inch. In the Bay of Plenty it was by far the driest April on record; while in the Gisborne – East Coast area it was the driest April on record with the possible exception of 1945.
Over the remainder of the North Island it was also somewhat drier than usual. The only parts of the country which received rainfall appreciably above normal were Southland, most of Otago, and the Christchurch - Banks Peninsula area. For Invercargill, with 8·96 inches, it was the wettest April on record.
Temperatures: Temperatures were below normal, mainly by about 2 degrees. Highest departures were in inland and western districts.
Snow fell on the hills in Otago and Southland on Anzac Day, the 25th.
Sunshine: Except in western and southern districts of the South Island, sunshine was far above normal, mainly by 30 to 70 hours. New records for April were established at Waihi, Tauranga, Rotorua, Gisborne, Wellington, and Blenheim; while in Auckland and Christchurch the previous records were equalled.
Weather Sequence
At the beginning of the month an anticyclone was centred over the eastern Tasman Sea and a deep depression was passing far to the south. Rain was confined mainly to the south-western part of the South Island from Haast to Nugget Point. On the 3rd and 4th a trough of low pressure crossed the country with some rain in most districts but more especially affecting the South Island. However, for the next three days the weather was fair under the influence of a ridge of high pressure extending from the anti-cyclone centred over the eastern Tasman Sea.
On the 8th the passage of a deep depression close to Campbell Island caused rain in most western districts and in Southland, but the weather cleared again on the following day. Another trough of low pressure brought some rain to most districts on the 10th and 11th but again the South Island was mainly affected. For the next four days fair or fine weather prevailed again as a ridge of high pressure extended over the country from an anticyclone over the eastern Tasman Sea.
From the 16th to the 18th rain fell for a time in most districts as a cold front moved slowly north-eastwards across the country. On the 19th and 20th there were frequent periods of rain in western districts of both islands and in Southland during the passage of a deep depression centred far to the south.
South-westerly winds had already been much in evidence, but for the last ten days of the month they were particularly persistent, bringing very unsettled weather, especially to western and southern districts of the South Island and the Taranaki-Wanganui area. Canterbury was also affected at times, and most other districts received some rain. During this period an anticyclone advanced slowly north-eastward from the South Australian Bight to the North Tasman Sea, while pressures remained low to the east and south of New Zealand. Gales were reported on the 21st and 25th, when depressions developed close to the east coast; and on the latter occasion snow fell on the hills in Otago and Southland. With rising pressures, conditions had improved greatly by the end of the month.
R. G. SIMMERS, Acting Director.
(N.Z. Met. S. Misc. Pub. 107)