384
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
No. 12

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR JANUARY 1969

General—January weather was mainly average. Farming areas which had experienced rather dry weather in December had rainfall above average in January, and growth was considered to be very good.

Rainfall—Rainfall was above average by about 50 percent in Bay of Plenty and Taupo, in North Taranaki, in Manawatu and Wellington, in Nelson and the Marlborough Sounds, and in most of Southland and Otago together with part of South Canterbury.

In the Alps, Fiordland, and South Westland, and also in Northland and parts of Taihape, rainfall was only half the average value. It was also somewhat drier than usual in Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay. Parts of Northland received less than a quarter of their average rainfall.

Some unusually heavy hail was reported, notably in Hawke’s Bay on the 15th, Canterbury on the 21st, and Wellington on the 22nd. The amount of hail in these storms was sufficient to cover the ground; and in Canterbury the hailstones were up to 2 in. in diameter, causing considerable damage to crops, glasshouses, and windows.

Temperatures—Temperatures were mainly close to normal. However, Waikato and Waitomo, the West Coast, Central Otago, and western Southland were a degree cooler than the average.

Sunshine—Sunshine was mainly close to normal. Southland and most of Otago were below average by 20–30 hours; and northern Northland was favoured with a similar amount above average.

Weather Sequence—The first 3 days of January were mainly fine, under the influence of an extensive belt of high pressure. However, some rain was reported in northern Northland in the easterlies.

From the 4th to the 6th a complex trough of low pressure moved slowly eastward across the country accompanied by a period of rain. The rain became fairly general on the 6th as a small depression formed over the North Island. Considerable falls were recorded in Nelson, Manawatu, North Taranaki, and Bay of Plenty, with some flooding. Many thunderstorms were reported. Unsettled conditions persisted for 3 more days during the passage of another complex trough, but the rain was lighter. A southerly change on the 10th brought showers to coastal areas from Invercargill to Christchurch besides some western coastal districts of the North Island.

An anticyclone brought generally fair weather on the 11th, but on the following day another southerly change caused fairly heavy downpours in parts of Wairarapa and Bay of Plenty. A trough associated with a small depression crossed the country from the 13th to the 15th, and by the 16th a complex depression covered New Zealand. Rain was fairly general on the 14th and 16th, except in some eastern districts, but mainly scattered on the other days. Thunderstorms with heavy hail were reported in Hawke’s Bay on the 15th. A southerly change on the 17th brought rain mainly to Canterbury, Marlborough and Nelson, and Hawke’s Bay.

An anticyclone over the North Tasman Sea extended on to New Zealand from the 18th to the 20th. The weather was fine, apart from some rain on the West Coast on the 19th. As pressures fell to the east and south-east a cold front brought heavy showers to eastern districts on the 21st and 22nd. Thunderstorms were reported, with some heavy hail, especially in Canterbury, where hailstones the size of golf balls caused considerable damage to crops and broke some windows. During the 23rd and 24th a small depression over the eastern Tasman Sea moved north-eastward across Auckland, causing rain from North Taranaki to Northland.

An anticyclone passing to the north brought mainly fine weather from the 25th to the 27th. During the last 4 days of the month the weather deteriorated generally once again with the passage of a complex depression from the Tasman Sea. One centre crossed Southland, while the other drifted slowly north-eastward across the North Island. Some considerable falls of rain affected Bay of Plenty on the 29th and 30th.

J. F. GABITES, Director.

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

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Ministry of Works—Schedule of Civil Engineering, Building, and Housing Contracts of $20,000 or More in Value

P. L. LAING, Commissioner of Works.