26 JUNE
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
1179

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for May 1969—continued

LATE RETURNS

Te Paki, Te Hapua, Mar. 1969 .. | Ft. 190 | °F. .. | °F. .. | °F. .. | .. | °F. .. | .. | °F. .. | In. .. | .. | .. | In. .. | .. | Hrs. ..
Te Paki, Te Hapua, April 1969 .. | 190 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | ..
Opotiki, April 1969 .. | 20 | 66.6 | 48.0 | 57.3 | -1.2 | 73.1 | 19 | 34.0 | 2.52 | 10 | -2.2 | 0.93 | 18 | 173
Makaretu, April 1969 .. | 1,100 | 62.7 | 44.7 | 53.7 | .. | 74.6 | 13 | 31.7 | 3.30 | 12 | .. | 1.17 | 18 | ..
Bromley, April 1969 .. | 31 | 61.4 | 46.2 | 53.8 | .. | 74.6 | 13 | 35.0 | 1.95 | 12 | .. | 0.87 | 23 | ..
Errata
Opotiki, March 1969 .. | 20 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 264
Gisborne Aerodrome, April 1969 .. | 16 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 173
Waingawa, Masterton, April 1969 .. | 340 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 150
Levin, March 1969 .. | 150 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 181
Hanmer Forest, April 1969 | 1,270 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 1.34 | 23 | ..
Onawe, Akaroa, April 1969 .. | 150 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 73.2 | 22 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | ..
Timaru, April 1969 .. | 56 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 1.28 | .. | .. | .. | .. | ..

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.

*The sunshine recorder is not located at the station but is in the near vicinity.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR MAY 1969

General—May was a cloudy month, with the second half more unsettled than the first. Pasture growth and the health of stock were generally good. However, parts of Wairarapa and Canterbury reported a shortage of winter feed.

Cook Strait and some surrounding areas were buffeted by violent southerly gales on the 8th.

Rainfall—Over the greater part of the country rainfall was close to or somewhat below average. In most western and inland districts of the South Island and in Taupo, Gisborne, and Hawke’s Bay it was less than three-quarters of the average value.

The only areas with rainfall well above average were coastal Otago and western Northland. In both of these the surplus was more than 50 percent; and parts of coastal Otago around Palmerston received double the average rainfall.

In western Northland some daily rainfalls of 3–4 in. were recorded on 20 May. Most of this rain fell on the night of 20–21 May. Several stations reported thunderstorms, causing flooding in parts of the Hokianga district.

Temperatures—Mean temperatures were close to or somewhat above average.

Snow fell on the Mackenzie Country during a spell of southerly weather from the 7th to the 10th. Another southerly spell, on the last 4 days of the month, was much colder, especially in the North Island, bringing snow to the high country.

Sunshine—Sunshine was below average over the greater part of the country. The deficiency amounted to 30–50 hours in eastern districts, and around Auckland and Queenstown. The totals of 83 hours at Auckland, 115 at Blenheim, and only 64 at Hanmer were all the lowest so far recorded in May. Auckland’s previous lowest was 102 hours in 1953.

Sunshine was close to average on the West Coast, from Taranaki north-eastward to Rotorua, in northern Northland, and in parts of Manawatu, Nelson, and coastal Southland.

Weather sequence—On 1 May an anticyclone covered the South Island while pressures were low to the east. Cold southerlies continued from 30 April, with rain on the east coast from Timaru northward. Some considerable falls were reported from northern Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne. During the next 2 days a trough of low pressure moved eastward across New Zealand bringing fairly general rain, except in some eastern districts.

On the 4th and 5th an anticyclone over the South Island moved eastward, while a depression developed over the north-west Tasman. North-easterlies brought rain to most northern districts of the North Island. On the following day the depression crossed the North Island with considerable rain there and some also in the South Island, especially northern districts. On the 7th the depression moved to the east of the South Island causing strong southerlies to develop, with further rain. Pressures remained low to the east, and southerlies persisted for another 3 days. Violent gales buffeted Cook Strait, Wairarapa, and parts of Hawke’s Bay. Snow was reported in the Mackenzie Country of inland Canterbury and also on the Rimutakas. The weather commenced to clear in many districts on the 8th, but showers persisted on the east coast in both Islands, at times also affecting Cook Strait, Auckland, and parts of Northland.

The period from the 11th to the 16th was one of settled weather over the greater part of New Zealand. On the 11th an anticyclone extended over the country from the north-west Tasman and the weather was fine. During the 12th and 13th a weak trough of low pressure moved over the South Island, affecting only the West Coast and the Southland coast. On the following day a weak ridge of high pressure brought fine weather apart from some showers about the North Island ranges. Another weak trough brought rain mainly to the West Coast on the 15th. On the 16th an anticyclone covered the country and the weather was fine.

During the 17th and 18th a complex depression covered the Tasman Sea while pressures were high to the east of the North Island and also to the south-west of the South Island. The weather was generally unsettled, with heaviest rain on the West Coast and in some northern districts. From the 19th to the 21st one of the depressions moved southward. In the moist northerly airstream rain spread southward from northern districts of the North Island, soon to cover the greater part of the country. Some heavy falls were reported in northern districts of both Islands, with flooding in Hokianga, Northland. During the next 2 days the depression crossed New Zealand and rain became general. However, although pressures remained low over the country, on the 24th and 25th the weather was temporarily settled in many districts.

As pressures commenced to rise over the Tasman Sea, southerlies gradually set in from the 26th onward, persisting to the end of the month. At first heavy rain was reported about the Kaikoura coast and also in parts of the Hauraki Gulf. From the 27th temperatures become much colder, with rain affecting mainly districts east of the main ranges, but also Northland and Auckland besides north-west Nelson. Snow was reported on the ranges and high country of both Islands.

J. F. GABITES, Director.
(N.Z. Met. S. Misc. Pub. 107)