23 JULY THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 1005

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for June 1959—continued

LATE RETURNS

NOTE—At stations where departures from normal have an asterisk, the temperature record has been maintained for less than 10 years, the rainfall record for less than 20 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 JUNE 1959

June was a sunny month of comparatively low rainfall. It brought welcome relief from the cold, wet conditions of the preceding month. Frosts were frequent, and at times severe. Pastures made very little growth, but conditions generally were quite favourable for stock.

Rainfall: Over the greater part of the country rainfall was about half the average value. In South Canterbury and North Otago, where the rainfall at some stations amounted to less than a quarter of an inch, it was one of the driest Junes on record.

The only areas with rainfall close to or somewhat above normal were western districts of the South Island from Westport southward together with the Alps and the Lakes District, and north-eastern Northland.

Temperatures: Temperatures were about a degree below normal, except in eastern and inland districts of the South Island from Christchurch southward, where they were 1–2 degrees warmer than usual. The mildest temperatures were recorded during a spell of westerly weather from the 12th to the 19th.

Snowfall was reported to low levels in parts of the South Island and in the North Island high country on the 4th.

Sunshine: Except over most of the Auckland and Taranaki provinces, sunshine was well above average. In eastern districts from Dunedin to Waipukurau and about Cook Strait, departures of 40–60 hours were recorded. For Blenheim, Ashburton, Timaru, and Dunedin it was the sunniest June in 30–50 years of observation. The only areas with sunshine appreciably below normal were north-eastern Northland and parts of the Waikato.

Weather Sequence: With an anticyclone moving across the Tasman Sea and pressures low to the south-east, cold southerly conditions prevailed for the first week, in continuation of the weather of the last week of May. However, the weather had improved in that showers were comparatively infrequent. Some light snow was reported to low levels in parts of the South Island and on the North Island high country. On the 8th and 9th the anticyclone moved across the country and the weather was fine.

From the 10th to the 20th conditions were dominated by westerlies in the south, and temperatures were milder. At first a depression passed far to the south and the associated trough of low pressure brought some rain to most districts. From the 12th to the 15th another deep depression passed to the south, somewhat closer to the South Island. On this occasion the associated trough brought considerable rain to the West Coast and some rain to most other areas, but eastern districts from Christchurch to Gisborne were not affected. For the next three days an anticyclone was advancing towards the North Island, and the weather was fine apart from showers on the West Coast, gradually clearing. On the 19th and 20th the weather was fair or fine with the passage of the anticyclone over the North Island.

On the 21st and 22nd a trough of low pressure crossed the country, with some rain in most districts. A depression formed to the north and persisted there for about five days, while an anticyclone remained almost stationary to the east of the South Island. From the 23rd to the 27th the weather was unsettled in Northland and Coromandel, with easterly gales at times. Gisborne and parts of Hawke’s Bay also received some rain, but over the remainder of New Zealand the weather remained fine though colder. On the following day the passage of a trough affected mainly western and far southern districts of the South Island. On the 29th another anticyclone brought generally fine weather, but on the last day of the month the weather deteriorated again in Northland with the approach of a depression across the North Tasman Sea.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.
(N.Z. Met. S. Misc. Pub. 107)