28 MAY
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
897

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for April 1964—continued

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 APRIL 1964

General: April was a month of predominantly settled weather, with comparatively low rainfall. In Hawke’s Bay, where some areas have experienced seven consecutive months of low rainfall, conditions have become exceptionally dry, with a serious shortage of feed. Elsewhere in the North Island and in Marlborough and Canterbury conditions have varied but they have been too dry for some farmers.

Rainfall: In the North Island, except for Northland, rainfall was only about half the average value. In the South Island it was also only half in many districts. However, in North Canterbury and Buller and on the Southland plain it was close to average. The only considerable area with rainfall a little above average was part of northern Northland.

A few stations in central Hawke’s Bay and in the upper Waitaki Valley received totals of less than half an inch. At Napier the total rainfall from October 1963 to April 1964 was only 8·66 in., the lowest for this seven-month period for about 30 years.

Temperatures: Temperatures were mainly close to average or up to a degree below. However, in Nelson and on the West Coast they were 1–2 degrees cooler than normal.

Sunshine: Sunshine was below average by up to 25 hours over the southern half of the South Island, also in Northland, Gisborne, and Hawke’s Bay. Over the remainder of the North Island and in Marlborough it was mainly above average by up to 40 hours.

Weather Sequence: During the first two days of the month a ridge of high pressure extended on to the North Island from the Tasman Sea; while a weak trough of low pressure brought some rain to coastal districts of the South Island, except for Nelson and Marlborough. Gales were reported in Southland and in the Alps. Another trough crossed the country during the 3rd and 4th with rather similar results, except that the rain was somewhat heavier and extended to Wellington and a few other North Island districts. On the 5th an anticyclone moved on to Southland, but pressures were low to the east. Cold southerlies brought rain from Kaikoura to Wellington and East Cape. However, by the 6th the anticyclone covered the whole country, with generally fair weather.

The period from the 7th to the 12th was the most unsettled part of the month. A tropical storm which had formed off the Queensland coast on the 3rd was centred north-west of North Cape on the 7th; and during the next two days it moved on to Northland, losing intensity. Rain spread over the Auckland Province, and it was heavy in the far north and in the Bay of Plenty. Meanwhile another depression had been moving eastward across the Tasman Sea. Already on the 9th this was causing light rain in Southland, Otago, and South Westland; and on the 10th rain became general except in Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay. In spite of the slow north-eastward movement of the depression, the first clearance occurred on the 11th in many North Island districts. However, on the following day the centre passed close to Northland with rain there and in Bay of Plenty. Some showers were also reported in eastern districts of the North Island and in parts of the South Island.

By contrast, the period from the 13th to the 25th was one of mainly settled weather, with barometers high over the whole country. On the 13th and 14th a large anticyclone covered New Zealand, but a few showers were reported at first in the Gisborne district. During the next four days the anticyclone remained almost stationary over the country; but a weak trough of low pressure brought light rain or showers in turn to Fiordland, coastal Southland, coastal Otago, and Gisborne. By the 19th this anticyclone had weakened considerably and another large anticyclone had moved on to the South Tasman Sea. During this and the following day a cold southerly change affected most coastal southern and eastern districts, where some light rain was reported. From the 21st to the 23rd the anticyclone moved slowly on to the North Island, with generally fair weather. As this anticyclone departed to the east during the next two days a trough of low pressure brought some rain to Fiordland, South Westland, and coastal districts of Southland and Otago.

For the last five days of the month winds were predominantly from a westerly quarter, strong at times; and temperatures were comparatively mild. During the 26th and 27th a depression from the Tasman Sea moved across the South Island. Rain was fairly general except in Canterbury and Hawke’s Bay. For the next three days pressures were very low far to the south and a series of troughs crossed the country rapidly. Considerable rain was reported on the West Coast and the Southland Coast; and on the last day of the month some rain also extended to western and central districts of the North Island.

R. G. SIMMERS, Director.
(N.Z. Met. S. Misc. Pub. 107)

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