New Zealand Gazette – 1971 – No. 38

Page 1009

✨ Climatological Table and Weather Notes



27 MAY

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for April 1971—continued

Station Height Above M.S.L. Means of A Max. B Min. Mean of A and B Difference From Normal Absolute Maximum and Minimum Maxi- mum Date Mini- mum Date Total Fall In. No. of Rain Days Difference From Normal Maximum Fall Amount Date Bright Sun- Shine
Oamaru 99 62.9 45.6 54.2 +1.3 73.2 30 35.2 10 0.33 5 -1.3 2.54
West Arm, Lake Manapouri 590 55.4 63.5 17 7.75 13 -4.7 2.58
Borland Saddle 3,250 52.4 38.5 45.4 59.5 19 26.3 10 6.27 8 4.40
Queenstown 1,080 61.3 42.4 51.8 +0.8 69.1 8 35.2 10 1.89 5 -1.0 1.14
Queenstown Aerodrome 1,154 60.1 40.3 50.2 66.0 8 32.9 11 1.81 4 1.16
Mid Dome 1,268 61.4 40.4 50.9 +1.0 68.5 26 32.0 18 1.83 7 -1.5 1.27
Cromwell 698 63.4 39.5 51.4 -0.3 69.6 6 28.4 11 0.57 4 -0.9 0.46
Ophir 1,000 62.3 36.4 49.4 +0.4 70.0 6 25.2 11 0.78 2 -0.8 0.57
Moa Creek 1,400 62.5 32.9 47.7 +1.2 65.4 20 23.0 11 0.71 4 -0.6 0.46
Earnscleugh 500 65.3 37.2 51.2 +0.9 74.0 8 26.5 11 0.67 4 -0.7 0.64
Alexandra 461 63.5 41.4 52.4 +1.0 72.3 8 33.6 10 0.79 4 -0.5 0.60
Roxburgh, (Power Stn.) 360 62.5 40.7 51.6 -0.5 70.0 30 30.5 18 1.02 6 -0.9 0.79
Moa Flat, West Otago 1,345 59.8 41.0 50.4 +1.9 69.0 30 32.1 11 1.17 7 -1.4 0.81
Mahinerangi Dam 1,300 59.1 40.7 49.9 67.5 8 33.4 16 2.37 11 -0.9 0.94
Tapanui 740 62.6 43.8 53.2 +2.8 71.5 30 34.5 16 1.32 9 -1.7 0.94
Rankleburn Forest 835 60.0 41.8 50.9 +1.7 69.0 8 31.2 17 1.42 7 -1.5 0.85
Taieri Mouth 50 60.3 43.9 52.1 68.7 27 35.0 18 0.71 5 0.51
Otautau 180 61.1 39.8 50.4 0.0 69.0 26 28.0 17 1.59 8 -1.9 0.97
Winton 145 61.4 42.1 51.8 +0.7 69.5 26 28.6 16 1.21 6 0.76
Gore 235 61.4 40.6 51.0 -0.3 68.9 20 30.8 18 0.55 5 -2.2 0.44
Hokonui Forest 150 62.3 41.0 51.6 +0.9 71.0 26 29.0 18 0.99 8 -2.3 0.61
Invercargill Airport 1 60.4 40.8 50.6 +0.5 67.6 30 27.9 18 1.46 13 -2.3 0.71
Tiwai Point 15 58.5 46.3 52.4 67.6 30 32.1 17 1.29 10 0.36
Milton 60 62.6 40.9 51.8 +0.9 71.9 29 29.8 18 0.86 6 0.55
Finegand, Balclutha 20 62.4 41.4 51.9 +1.9 69.1 11 31.0 28 0.79 5 0.28
Nugget Point 430 58.5 46.8 52.5 64.8 8 41.5 10 0.78 9 0.34
Rarotonga, Cook Islands 15 85.1 73.4 79.2 +1.8 86.4 5 66.2 2 3.94 17 -3.0 0.90
Raoul Island 126 73.8 64.6 69.2 +0.1 76.6 2 61.3 5 12.22 18 -7.4 3.75
Chatham Islands 157 59.0 48.0 53.5 -0.2 65.5 9 40.3 11 0.23 12 -2.4 0.03
Campbell Island 49 50.5 42.3 46.4 +1.5 56.8 28 33.8 7 3.72 25 0.50
Scott Base, Antarctica 58 -19.7 -7.6
Lake Vanda, Antarctica 510

LATE RETURNS

Mangatu Forest Mar. 1971 570 70.0 50.0 60.0 -1.1 78.0 3 38.0 29 4.60 12 +0.3 1.45 12
Makahu Spur Mar. 1971 4,850 54.0 42.0 48.0 .. 72.0 18 34.0 6 .. .. .. .. ..
Greymouth Mar. 1971 14 68.7 54.5 61.6 +2.7 75.0 3 32.1 28 3.98 10 -3.2 0.90 26 213
Moa Creek Mar. 1971 1,400 67.6 39.0 53.3 +0.7 78.0 2 30.0 20 2.96 10 +1.7 1.38 24
Alexandra Mar. 1971 461 69.4 48.6 59.0 +1.1 80.6 2 40.5 20 2.13 8 +0.9 0.70 24 198
Gore Mar. 1971 235 66.5 48.2 57.4 +1.7 77.4 2 41.0 23 3.32 15 +0.1 1.24 2 131
Whakapunake Mar. 1971 3,100 57.2 46.0 51.6 .. 68.0 18 40.1 8 8.81 8 .. 1.93 11
Black Birch Range Feb. 1971 4,580 63.0 48.5 55.8 .. 77.2 10 32.2 8 4.00 .. .. .. ..
Black Birch Range Mar. 1971 4,580 54.3 42.2 48.2 .. 64.9 18 32.5 6 3.22 .. .. .. ..
Foxton Mar. 1971 10 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

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 APRIL 1971

General—April weather was a continuation of that of March. There was again an unusually high incidence of easterly to north-easterly winds over the North Island, with floods and slips in eastern districts from Hawke’s Bay to Bay of Islands, while the remainder of the country had sunny, warm, dry weather. In southern and western districts of the North Island and in Canterbury the rainfall was inadequate, adversely affecting crops and pastures.

Rainfall—Rainfall was less than three-quarters of the normal value over most of the South Island and the greater part of the North Island. In the Taihape-Wanganui-Manawatu area it was less than a quarter of the normal and many stations had their lowest April rainfall.

By contrast, rainfall was well above normal in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, in Coromandel, and also in eastern districts from about Auckland to Bay of Islands, with a considerable area receiving more than double the normal. The heaviest rain was reported around Port Charles, near the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, which received a total of 21 in., of which about 9 in. fell in 6 hours during the night of 15–16 April. The main period of easterly rains was from the 10th to the 20th, with many thunder-storms.

The persistence of easterly to north-easterly winds from November to April over the North Island has caused unusually low rainfall at Wellington over this period, the total of 11.32 in. being the lowest there since the same months in 1886–87. Stations with unusually low rainfall from January to April include Christchurch and the Hermitage. On the other hand, Whangarei Aerodrome’s total from January to April of 29.13 in. was the highest there since 1944.

Temperatures—Temperatures were above normal by 1°–2°F. (1°C.).

Sunshine—The West Coast, Otago, and Southland besides Manawatu were favoured with 30–60 hours above normal sunshine. Eastern and some northern districts of the North Island received 20 hours below normal.

Weather Sequence—At the beginning of April an anticyclone was centred near Tasmania with a ridge of high pressure extending on to New Zealand. Showers were reported at first in Northland besides Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, and Taranaki. However, by the 4th the showers were only isolated.

From the 5th to the 7th a depression over the eastern Tasman Sea drifted slowly on to Northland, while a weak trough of low pressure crossed the South Island. Light rain fell in northern districts of the North Island, and there were also a few showers on the Southland coast. Another trough of low pressure moved north-eastward over most of the country on the 8th and 9th accompanied by fairly general rain, mainly light. During the next 2 days this trough became stationary over Northland while an anticyclone covered the eastern Tasman Sea and the South Island. Eastern Northland reported strong winds with heavy seas and considerable rain. Rain also affected western Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, and Gisborne. On the 12th and 13th pressures were low to the north-east, and another trough of low pressure crossed



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✨ LLM interpretation of page content

🎓 Climatological Table - Summary of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for April 1971 - continued (continued from previous page)

🎓 Education, Culture & Science
Meteorology, Climatology, Temperature, Rainfall, Sunshine, Weather data, New Zealand, April 1971, Regional data

🎓 Climatological Table - Late Returns for March 1971

🎓 Education, Culture & Science
Meteorology, Climatology, Temperature, Rainfall, Sunshine, Weather data, New Zealand, March 1971, Regional data

🎓 Notes on the Weather for April 1971

🎓 Education, Culture & Science
Weather analysis, Rainfall, Temperature, Sunshine, Wind patterns, Natural phenomena, New Zealand, April 1971