152
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
No. 5

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for December 1967—continued

LATE RETURNS

| Waitangi Forest, Nov. 1967 | 180 | 70.8 | 55.2 | 63.2 | .. | 80.2 | 24 | 44.4 | 2 | 6.12 | 16 | +3.1 | 2.54 | 17 | .. |
| Whatawhata, Nov. 1967 .. | 340 | 66.3 | 51.9 | 55.9 | -2.4 | 75.7 | 28 | 36.1 | 5 | 13.09 | 18 | +8.1 | 2.74 | 17 | 160 |
| Havelock North, Nov. 1967 | 30 | 70.4 | 48.5 | 59.4 | +1.8 | 85.3 | 15 | 30.3 | 5 | 1.71 | 12 | -0.3 | 0.69 | 17 | .. |
| Kaitoke Farm, Nov. 1967 | 625 | 61.2 | 47.2 | 54.2 | .. | 76.9 | 29 | 29.8 | 2 | 8.65 | 18 | .. | 1.68 | 6 | 160 |
| Greymouth, Nov. 1967 .. | 14 | 59.7 | 48.3 | 54.0 | -1.8 | 66.2 | 29 | 40.9 | 1, 5 | 16.65 | 25 | +8.3 | 2.78 | 27 | 95 |
| Cromwell, Nov. 1967 .. | 698 | 62.1 | 42.2 | 52.2 | -4.8 | 70.9 | 29 | 32.7 | 15 | 2.52 | 16 | +1.3 | 0.78 | 17 | .. |
| Otematata, Nov. 1967 .. | 920 | 58.4 | 41.1 | 49.8 | -6.9 | 68.2 | 3 | 32.5 | 17 | 4.69 | 16 | +3.4 | 1.24 | 27 | .. |

Errata—

| Umawera, Nov. 1967 .. | 380 | 61.6 | 44.6 | 53.1 | -0.5 | 67.5 | 29 | 31.0 | 6 | 11.62 | 15 | +0.1 | 1.05 | 18 | .. |
| Te Aroha, Sept. 1967 .. | 40 | 61.6 | 44.6 | 53.1 | -0.5 | 67.5 | 29 | 31.0 | 6 | 4.65 | 15 | +0.1 | 1.05 | 18 | .. |

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.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR DECEMBER 1967

General—December was a wet month in many districts and also comparatively warm. In the North Island pasture growth was particularly good, but the weather was rather too unsettled for haymaking and shearing. In Marlborough, Canterbury and parts of Otago more rain would have been appreciated; but fortunately these areas had had a wet November leaving a good reserve of moisture in the soil, and stock were not yet affected.

Rainfall—Rainfall was above average over almost all of the North Island and also west of a line from Hokitika to Balclutha. The surplus was mainly 50 percent; but in parts of central and southern Hawke’s Bay, in some central districts of the North Island, and in the southern lakes district rainfall was more than double the average value.

In eastern and northern districts of the South Island rainfall was mainly below average by 25 percent. In central Marlborough and on the Canterbury plains and coast from Christchurch to Timaru it was less than half the average value.

Thunderstorms were unusually frequent over the North Island. Many stations heard thunder on the 28th, with heavy downpours, especially in the Taihape district and in Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa, causing serious disruption of road transport in some places. On the same day New Plymouth reported a hailstorm with stones an inch in diameter.

Temperatures—In the North Island mean temperatures were mainly 1–3 degrees above average, highest departures being in Waitomo and North Taranaki. In the South Island they were mainly close to average.

Sunshine—Sunshine was below average by 30 to 60 hours in an area extending from Waitomo and Bay of Plenty through central districts of the North Island to Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa, and also on the Kaikoura coast. On the other hand most of Westland, South Canterbury, and Otago were favoured with 20–40 hours above average.

Weather Sequence—At the beginning of the month a depression to the east of the North Island was moving away and an anticyclone covered the Tasman Sea. At first rain affected the greater part of the North Island, but on the 2nd the weather cleared, except in Bay of Plenty. During the next two days a very deep depression passed far to the south and the associated trough of low pressure crossed the South Island. In the strong westerlies considerable rain was reported on the Alps and the West Coast, with lighter falls in Southland, Marlborough, Nelson, and the Taranaki-Wanganui-Manawatu area.

The trough of low pressure became almost stationary just north of Cook Strait, and a depression formed on it during the 5th and 6th. Rain spread over almost the whole of the North Island, but the weather cleared in the south. As this depression departed slowly to the southeast, another trough of low pressure moved over the South Island. There was further rain over the North Island, clearing on the 8th, except in the west. In the South Island western and southern districts and some northern districts reported rain. Snow fell to low levels in Fiordland. A cold front brought a change to south-westerlies on the 9th, with a clearance in many North Island districts but with further rain in parts of the South Island, now including mid-Canterbury. Fair weather prevailed generally during the 10th and most of the 11th with the passage of an anticyclone from mid-Tasman across the North Island.

By the evening of the 11th another trough of low pressure associated with a depression to the south was approaching Southland, and very heavy rain set in on parts of the West Coast. The trough soon became slow-moving with the formation of a wave depression over Otago. The heavy rain spread to the whole of the