21 JUNE
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
983

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR MAY 1962

General: May 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, very slow sales of winter clothing, and no snow for the start of the skiing season in the North Island.

Rainfall: Rainfall was above average over nearly the whole of the provinces of Auckland, Nelson, Marlborough, Westland, and Canterbury. In Bay of Plenty, Nelson, and Marlborough it was mainly at least double the average value. Rotorua with 18·25 in. had its wettest May in over 75 years of records, and in the surrounding area totals reached 32 in. in places.

Both in Bay of Plenty and the Nelson-Marlborough area nearly all the rain fell in three 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 4 degrees. Highest departures, exceeding 5 degrees, 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.

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

Weather Sequence: The month opened with an anticyclone lying to the east of the country and a depression over the Tasman Sea. The whole system showed little change or movement at first. Winds were northerly and scattered light rain was reported, mainly in the Auckland Province and Nelson. On the 3rd and 4th the depression deepened and crossed the South Island. Rain became general, with some considerable falls in Bay of Plenty. As the depression moved away to the east south-westerlies prevailed, bringing showers to some coastal districts on the 5th.

From the 6th to the 10th deep depressions passed to the south and winds were mainly from a westerly quarter, with some rain in most districts, but especially on the West Coast. A small depression to the north also affected the Auckland Province on the 8th. With rising pressures conditions improved on the 11th, but showers were still reported on the Southland coast and in parts of the Auckland Province. For the next four days the weather was generally fair as an anticyclone moved slowly across New Zealand.

From the 16th to the 18th the anticyclone was centred to the east and pressures were low over the Tasman Sea. North-easterly to northerly winds again prevailed, with rain spreading over the Auckland and Taranaki Provinces and all of the South Island except Canterbury. A small depression developed to the north, and during the 19th and 20th a trough was almost stationary extending north to south over the North Island. Rain continued in much the same districts, apart from a clearance in Otago; but it became very heavy in Bay of Plenty, with some flooding, especially on the Rangitaiki Plains and about and south of Rotorua.

From the 21st to the 24th an anticyclone was centred close to Southland, while a depression to the north moved south-eastward past East Cape. Rain affected mainly Northland, Gisborne, and Hawke’s Bay; parts of the east coast of Northland were also buffeted by south-easterly gales and heavy seas. For the next three days pressure was rather low, with troughs crossing the country from west to east, bringing rain mainly to the West Coast. On the 28th rain became general with the passage of a small depression across Nelson and Marlborough. There was a temporary clearance in many districts on the 29th, but the last two days were wet, except in Southland and Central Otago. An anticyclone was again centred to the east of New Zealand, and a depression covered the eastern Tasman Sea. North-easterly winds brought particularly heavy rain to Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Nelson, and Northland, with flooding again in the Rangitaiki River.

(N.Z. Met. S. Misc. Pub. 107)

R. G. SIMMERS, Acting Director.

Ministry of Works—Schedule of Civil Engineering, Building, and Housing Contracts of £10,000 or More in Value

J. T. GILKISON, Commissioner of Works.

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