30 MARCH
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
457
CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE-Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for February 1967—continued
| Station | Height of Station Above M.S.L. | Air Temperatures in Degrees (Fahrenheit) | Rainfall in Inches | Bright Sunshine |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | Ft. | Means of A Max. B Min. | Mean of A and B | Difference From Normal | Absolute Maximum and Minimum | Total Fall | No. of Rain Days | Difference From Normal | Maximum Fall Amount Date | Hrs. |
| Musselburgh, Dunedin | 5 | 66.9 50.8 | 58.8 | 0.0 | 79.0 12 | 43.6 17 | 1.98 15 | -0.5 | 0.37 10 | 179 |
| Oamaru | 47 | 70.4 49.8 | 60.1 | .. | 92.2 26 | 41.6 17 | 1.09 8 | .. | 0.44 2 | 211 |
| West Arm, Lake Manapouri | 590 | 62.2 48.2 | 55.2 | -1.3 | 76.3 22 | 39.5 4 | 12.30 18 | .. | 4.30 14 | .. |
| Queenstown | 1,080 | 68.7 49.6 | 59.2 | -0.8 | 81.0 25 | 40.4 4 | 2.85 11 | +0.3 | 1.71 14 | 196 |
| Cromwell | 720 | 74.9 50.0 | 62.4 | -0.5 | 90.0 25, 26 | 41.4 4 | 0.56 6 | -1.0 | 0.31 15 | .. |
| Ophir | 1,000 | 68.1 46.7 | 57.4 | -2.0 | 84.3 25 | 35.5 14 | 0.21 2 | -1.5 | 0.18 15 | .. |
| Moa Creek | 1,400 | 71.3 42.7 | 57.0 | +0.2 | 85.9 25 | 30.0 4 | 1.02 8 | -0.7 | 0.41 28 | .. |
| Earnscleugh | 500 | 73.7 45.4 | 59.6 | -0.5 | 90.0 25 | 36.5 14 | 0.26 3 | -1.2 | 0.16 15 | .. |
| Alexandra | 461 | 72.8 49.9 | 61.4 | -0.6 | 90.1 25 | 42.1 4 | 0.44 7 | -1.1 | 0.22 15 | 230 |
| Roxburgh Hydro | 350 | 72.7 47.7 | 60.2 | -0.3 | 90.0 8, 25 | 38.5 14 | 1.07 10 | -0.9 | 0.65 18 | .. |
| Moa Flat, West Otago | 1,345 | 65.6 44.6 | 55.1 | +0.4 | 83.4 25 | 36.6 3 | 2.66 11 | -0.2 | 0.94 18 | .. |
| Lake Mahinerangi | 1,300 | 64.6 44.2 | 54.4 | .. | 83.0 25 | 35.8 3 | 2.87 12 | -0.7 | 0.55 12 | .. |
| Tapanui | 740 | 66.1 46.6 | 56.4 | -0.8 | 85.1 25 | 39.0 3 | 2.35 13 | -0.9 | 0.45 12 | .. |
| Rankleburn Forest | 835 | 65.7 45.6 | 55.6 | -0.6 | 84.6 25 | 39.2 3 | 1.92 13 | .. | 0.65 15 | .. |
| Taieri Mouth | | 65.8 46.6 | 56.2 | .. | 75.2 25 | 38.3 17 | 2.27 13 | .. | 0.41 12 | 172 |
| Otautau | 180 | 66.0 44.5 | 55.2 | -2.0 | 85.5 25 | 32.0 14 | 2.19 12 | -1.3 | 0.63 16 | 169 |
| Gore | 230 | 65.8 47.2 | 56.5 | -1.2 | 85.8 25 | 38.8 2, 13 | 3.12 12 | 0.0 | 12, 14 177 | .. |
| Winton | 150 | 66.8 45.7 | 56.2 | .. | 87.1 25 | 33.1 21 | 1.97 12 | .. | 0.55 15 | .. |
| Pebbly Hills | 138 | 66.7 45.9 | 56.3 | -1.8 | 86.0 25 | 37.0 8, 14 | 2.47 13 | -1.1 | 0.52 27 | 154 |
| Invercargill Airport | 1 | 63.8 44.6 | 54.2 | -2.0 | 76.9 8 | 35.1 8 | 2.33 16 | -1.5 | 0.22 2 | .. |
| Milton | 60 | 68.7 45.8 | 57.2 | .. | 88.2 25 | 36.1 21 | 1.36 14 | -1.1 | 0.32 12 | 180 |
| Balclutha | 20 | 68.3 47.4 | 57.8 | .. | 87.4 25 | 40.0 3, 12 | 1.23 14 | .. | 2.95 21 | 171 |
| Rarotonga | 15 | 83.2 74.0 | 78.6 | +0.4 | 85.0 1, 14 | 69.1 21 | 12.37 20 | +2.0 | 1.57 3 | 152 |
| Raoul Island | 126 | 78.6 70.9 | 74.8 | +2.5 | 82.0 19 | 66.8 1 | 6.53 15 | +0.4 | 1.12 2 | 157 |
| Chatham Islands | 157 | 62.1 53.4 | 57.8 | -0.9 | 70.3 28 | 46.2 14 | 1.30 5 | -1.1 | 0.43 22 | 72 |
| Campbell Island | 49 | 51.7 42.1 | 46.9 | .. | 54.2 6 | 32.6 24 | 4.20 26 | .. | .. | .. |
| Scott Base, Antarctica | 45 | .. .. | 20.1 | .. | 33.8 3 | 2.7 26 | .. | .. | .. | .. |
The "normal" refers to the present site of the instruments. The standard periods for normals are: for temperature 1931–60, for rainfall 1921–50, and for sunshine 1935–60. No normals are available for stations with only short records.
*Sunshine recorder is not located at the station but is in the near vicinity.
NOTE ON THE WEATHER FOR FEBRUARY 1967
General: February was a sunny month. In the North Island cyclone Dinah in its last stages brought heavy rain during the first three days and there was little rain for the remainder of the month. This suited most farmers, and growth was considered to be unusually good for the time of the year, with the opportunity also for harvesting. In the South Island conditions were much drier, and too dry in many areas, especially Marlborough, where stock were feeling the lack of water.
Rainfall: In the North Island rainfall was mainly above average. In Auckland, Waikato, and Rotorua-Taupo it was more than double the normal value. Half to three-quarters of the month's rain fell on the 2nd; and on this day there were many falls of 5–10 inches, with flooding in some areas, especially Whakatane and parts of Waikato, Auckland, and Northland.
In the South Island rainfall was mainly below average. In Marlborough and Nelson and parts of Otago and the West Coast it was less than half the normal value. In inland Marlborough some stations received negligible amounts, less than a quarter of an inch.
Temperatures: Mean temperatures were mainly close to average. However, they were 2 degrees cooler than normal on the West Coast.
The 26th was a particularly warm day in some eastern districts of the South Island. At Jordan, Awatere Valley, Marlborough, the temperature reached 101° F, equal with the highest ever recorded in New Zealand, at Ashburton, on 19 January 1956. At Eyrewell Forest, North Canterbury, the temperature reached 98° F.
Sunshine: Sunshine was above average by 20–60 hours over the greater part of the country. Highest departures were recorded around Cook Strait and in South Canterbury and North Otago. The total of 274 hours at Blenheim was one of the highest ever recorded in New Zealand in February.
In most northern and western districts and also in Otago and most of Southland sunshine was only average.
Weather Sequence: During the first three days cyclone Dinah, which had formed some time previously in the Coral Sea, crossed the North Island in its last stages. Rain was general over the North Island and the northern half of the South Island except for the West Coast. There were some very heavy falls on the 2nd in northern districts, with flooding in many areas. A cold front had moved over the South Island and an anticyclone was centred east of Bass Strait. Winds were from a southerly quarter, with unusually cold temperatures for the time of the year. Pressures increased on the 4th and 5th with a rapid improvement in the weather over most of the country. However, a depression passed far to the north, and easterlies brought some showers to Gisborne, Waikato, Auckland, and Northland.
A large anticyclone over the country was associated with generally fine weather from the 6th to the 8th. However, during the next two days a small depression crossing the North Island caused light rain there, while a trough which became stationary over the South Island caused rain in many coastal districts. From the 11th to the 13th an anticyclone crossed the North Island, and the weather was settled once again apart from some rain in western and far southern districts of the South Island on the 12th during the passage of a weak trough.
The 14th to the 18th was a period of westerly weather, with frequent rain on the West Coast. Some particularly heavy falls were reported from Fiordland on the 14th as a deep depression passed close to Campbell Island and the associated trough moved on to the South Island. During this and the next two days there was some rain also in Southland, Otago, Nelson, and western North Island districts as further troughs crossed the country. Rather similar weather persisted on the 17th and 18th.
On the 19th a trough of low pressure became stationary over the North Island, with rain in northern districts, while conditions improved on the West Coast. A large anticyclone brought fine weather for the next three days. From the 23rd to the 27th this anticyclone remained centred to the east while a slow-moving trough of low pressure caused rain at times in parts of the South Island, mainly coastal districts. On the last day of the month this trough moved on to Cook Strait and rain spread over almost all the South Island besides southern and some western districts of the North Island.
J. F. GABITES, Director.
(N.Z. Met. S. Misc. Pub. 107)