CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for May 1972—continued

| Station | Height of Station Above M.S.L. | Means of A Max. | Means of B Min. | Mean of A and B | Difference From Normal | Absolute Maximum Maximum Date | Minimum Minimum Date | Total Fall | No. of Rain Days | Difference From Normal | Maximum Fall Amount | Date | Bright Sunshine |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Palmerston | 21 | 13.7 | 2.4 | 8.1 | | 20.1 | 6,23 | -4.4 | 5 | 134 | 14 | .. | 63 | 16 | 127 |
| Cherry Farm, Waikouaiti | 6 | 12.7 | 2.5 | 7.6 | +0.2 | 20.3 | 12 | -2.0 | 28 | 140 | 17 | +97 | 71 | 16 | .. |
| Taiaroa Head | 76 | 12.0 | 5.9 | 9.0 | -0.3 | 19.9 | 5 | 0.1 | 31 | 89 | 19 | +31 | 23 | 16 | .. |
| Albert Town | 293 | 12.6 | 0.9 | 6.8 | .. | 20.0 | 6 | -5.0 | 26 | 68 | 11 | .. | 27 | 12 | .. |
| Taieri | 24 | 12.7 | 3.3 | 8.0 | +0.5 | 20.0 | 12 | -2.1 | 15 | 120 | 18 | +62 | 42 | 16 | .. |
| Berwick Forest | 18 | 12.6 | 3.5 | 8.1 | +0.7 | 20.0 | 12 | -2.5 | 15 | 144 | 17 | +88 | 35 | 16 | .. |
| Dunedin Airport | 1 | 12.8 | 3.0 | 7.9 | +0.7 | 19.6 | 5 | -4.4 | 15 | 98 | 18 | +50 | 24 | 16 | 92 |
| Musselburgh, Dunedin | 2 | 12.6 | 5.0 | 8.8 | 0.0 | 20.8 | 5 | 0.4 | 31 | 144 | 19 | +78 | 51 | 16 | 91 |
| Oamaru | 30 | 14.5 | 5.7 | 10.1 | +1.0 | 23.2 | 6 | -1.6 | 28 | 71 | 11 | +38 | 38 | 16 | 133 |
| West Arm, Lake Manapouri | 180 | 9.3 | 3.7 | 6.5 | +0.3 | 13.8 | 5 | 0.0 | 31 | 379 | 22 | +61 | 66 | 12 | .. |
| Borland Saddle | 991 | 5.1 | 0.3 | 4.8 | .. | 11.5 | 10 | -5.8 | 15 | .. | 13 | .. | 29 | 12 | .. |
| Queenstown | 329 | 11.5 | 3.0 | 7.3 | +0.5 | 19.1 | 6 | -1.2 | 26 | 86 | 13 | +20 | 23 | 12 | 94 |
| Queenstown Aerodrome | 352 | 11.5 | 1.9 | 6.7 | .. | 18.5 | 6 | -3.5 | 26 | 68 | 13 | .. | 17 | 13 | .. |
| Mid Dome | 387 | 11.7 | 1.1 | 6.4 | -0.3 | 18.1 | 3 | -6.2 | 15 | 115 | 19 | +36 | 23 | 30 | .. |
| Cromwell | 213 | 12.7 | 1.2 | 7.0 | +0.6 | 20.8 | 6 | -5.5 | 26 | 35 | 9 | +7 | 15 | 13 | .. |
| Ophir | 305 | .. | 0.4 | .. | .. | .. | .. | -8.0 | 15 | 46 | 15 | +16 | 17 | 13 | .. |
| Moa Creek | 427 | 11.4 | -1.1 | 6.3 | +2.6 | 19.3 | 6 | -8.1 | 15 | 45 | .. | +20 | 22 | 13 | .. |
| Earnscleugh | 152 | 13.5 | 0.2 | 6.9 | +1.1 | 22.3 | 6 | -6.5 | 15 | 43 | 12 | +20 | 18 | 13 | .. |
| Alexandra | 141 | 13.4 | 1.3 | 7.4 | +1.2 | 22.0 | 6 | -5.0 | 15 | 41 | 14 | +18 | 16 | 15 | 125 |
| Roxburgh (Power Station) | 110 | 12.6 | 1.6 | 7.1 | -0.4 | 21.0 | 6 | -5.2 | 15 | 61 | 18 | +20 | 14 | 13 | .. |
| Moa Flat | 410 | 10.2 | 1.4 | 5.8 | 0.0 | 16.8 | 12 | -4.3 | 15 | 120 | 18 | +59 | 22 | 13 | .. |
| Mahinerangi Dam | 396 | 9.6 | 2.0 | 5.8 | -0.1 | 16.9 | 5 | -3.5 | 15 | 161 | 20 | +92 | 24 | 24 | .. |
| Tapuni | 226 | 10.7 | 3.4 | 7.1 | -0.2 | 17.1 | 12 | -3.0 | 5 | 146 | 22 | +70 | 22 | 24 | .. |
| Rankleburn Forest | 255 | 10.6 | 3.6 | 7.1 | +0.6 | 18.1 | 5 | -1.0 | 15 | 162 | 21 | +98 | 37 | 24 | .. |
| Taieri Mouth | 15 | 12.2 | 4.4 | 8.3 | .. | 18.8 | 5 | -0.5 | 15 | 128 | 14 | .. | 38 | 30 | .. |
| Otatau | 55 | 11.8 | 3.5 | 7.7 | +0.5 | 17.5 | 3,12 | -1.5 | 15 | 191 | 21 | +102 | 42 | 30 | 77 |
| Winton | 44 | 11.7 | 3.7 | 7.7 | +0.3 | 17.9 | 5 | -0.7 | 15 | 104 | 21 | .. | 24 | 30 | 82 |
| Gore (D.S.I.R.) | 124 | 11.0 | 3.9 | 7.5 | .. | 16.0 | 12 | -1.6 | 15 | 106 | 23 | +30 | 22 | 24 | 71 |
| Hokonui Forest | 46 | 11.7 | 3.8 | 7.8 | +0.1 | 16.5 | 3,12 | 0.0 | 15 | 141 | 22 | +57 | 26 | 30 | .. |
| Woodlands | 47 | 11.7 | 4.2 | 8.0 | .. | 16.4 | 12 | -0.2 | 31 | 136 | 27 | .. | 33 | 30 | .. |
| Invercargill Aerodrome | 0 | 11.4 | 4.3 | 7.9 | +0.6 | 16.5 | 5 | -0.6 | 15 | 139 | 24 | +45 | 34 | 30 | 55 |
| Tiwai Point, Bluff | 5 | 11.7 | 5.9 | 8.8 | .. | 17.0 | 12 | 0.5 | 15 | 123 | 26 | .. | 21 | 30 | .. |
| Milton | 18 | 11.9 | 3.3 | 7.6 | -0.1 | 18.3 | 12 | -2.9 | 15 | 116 | 14 | +63 | 38 | 16 | .. |
| Finegand, Balclutha | 6 | 11.7 | 3.5 | 7.6 | +0.1 | 16.8 | 15 | -2.4 | 15 | 112 | 21 | .. | 41 | 30 | .. |
| Nugget Point | 131 | 10.6 | 5.1 | 7.9 | .. | 15.5 | 5 | -0.2 | 31 | 127 | 22 | +61 | 39 | 30 | .. |
| Rarotonga Airport, Cook Is. | 5 | 27.2 | 21.7 | 24.4 | +1.3 | 30.6 | 1 | 18.3 | 22 | 269 | 23 | +117 | 84 | 12 | 123 |
| Raoul Island, Kermadec Is. | 38 | 21.3 | 16.1 | 18.7 | -0.1 | 22.7 | 18 | 13.5 | 9 | 63 | 18 | -97 | 21 | 28 | 176 |
| Waitangi, Chatham Islands | 48 | 12.4 | 6.4 | 9.4 | -1.0 | 15.7 | 13 | 1.1 | 26 | 107 | 23 | +18 | 27 | 21 | 82 |
| Campbell Island | 15 | 7.5 | 2.1 | 5.6 | -0.4 | 10.0 | 3 | -2.7 | 30 | 135 | 29 | -5 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
| Scott Base, Antarctica | 18 | .. | .. | -24.1 | +6.8 | -8.0 | 10 | -47.0 | 2 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
|
| Tarawera Forest, April 1972 | 61 | 20.7 | 7.0 | 13.9 | +0.8 | 25.2 | 2,4 | -2.0 | 11 | 97 | 9 | -8.6 | 70 | 8 | .. |
| Whatawhata, March 1972 | 104 | 22.1 | 13.3 | 17.7 | +0.9 | 25.2 | 27 | 7.5 | 15,19 | 339 | 14 | +240 | 104 | 8 | 139 |
| Whatawhata, April 1972 | 104 | 19.2 | 10.9 | 15.1 | +0.9 | 22.4 | 12 | 2.2 | 14 | 106 | 20 | -29 | 24 | 17 | 134 |
| Wairapukao, April 1972 | 438 | 17.7 | 4.9 | 11.3 | 0.0 | 22.4 | 2 | -2.2 | 15 | 67 | 10 | -57 | 36 | 8 | .. |
| Lower Retaruke, March 1972 | 223 | 22.2 | 11.3 | 15.7 | .. | 26.0 | 2 | 3.4 | 19 | 154 | 9 | .. | 37 | 4 | .. |
| Lower Retaruke, April 1972 | 223 | 18.5 | 7.6 | 13.1 | .. | 22.8 | 12 | -0.5 | 15 | 96 | 17 | .. | 22 | 25 | .. |
| Makaretu, April 1972 | 335 | .. | 8.3 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 1.6 | 30 | 119 | 15 | .. | 35 | 16 | .. |
| Makahu Spur, April 1972 | 335 | 9.2 | 2.2 | 5.7 | .. | 16.0 | 3 | -3.5 | 18 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| Haldon, April 1972 | 399 | 17.8 | 2.6 | 8.0 | .. | 24.0 | 4 | -5.0 | 20 | 26 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| Taieri, April 1972 | 24 | 15.4 | 6.8 | 11.1 | +0.5 | 21.7 | 30 | 0.0 | 29 | 47 | 13 | +11 | 13 | 23 | .. |
| Mid Dome, April 1972 | 387 | 15.7 | 5.9 | 10.8 | +0.9 | 20.9 | 10 | -2.6 | 21 | 62 | 17 | -22 | 24 | 17 | .. |
| Alexandra, April 1972 | 141 | 17.4 | 6.2 | 11.8 | +1.0 | 22.8 | 4,22 | -2.5 | 20 | 34 | 10 | -1 | 18 | 23 | 132 |
| Whitemans Valley, March 1972 | 235 | 19.0 | 9.0 | 14.0 | .. | 22.5 | 23 | 3.5 | 8 | 109 | 10 | .. | 42 | 24 | .. |
| Whitemans Valley, April 1972 | 235 | 16.9 | 7.1 | 12.0 | .. | 22.0 | 11 | 1.1 | 30 | 73 | .. | .. | 31 | 25 | .. |
| Ohakune, April 1972 | 599 | 15.7 | 6.6 | 11.2 | +1.8 | 22.3 | 10 | -0.4 | 16 | 102 | 16 | -15 | 28 | 25 | 124 |
| Temuka, April 1972 | 24 | 18.0 | 6.0 | 12.0 | +1.2 | 25.2 | 21 | -0.4 | 20 | 41 | 14 | -10 | 12 | 7 | .. |

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.

A “rain day” is equal to or greater than 0.1 mm.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR MAY 1972

General—May was marked by a greater frequency of south-westerly winds than usual, and it was predominantly a wet month but rather sunny. Excessive cloud and rain in parts of Southland and Otago made the ground too wet for farmers but elsewhere conditions were mainly favourable.

The heaviest rains were reported from the 13th to the 16th, and gales were widespread over this period with some damage, especially from easterlies in Greymouth.

Rainfall—Rainfall was above normal over almost all the South Island. It was more than double the normal value in an area mainly on the east coast of the South Island and 50 miles inland from Timaru to Balclutha but extending also northward to the upper Waimakariri catchment and westward in the south as far

as Gore. Some unusually high totals of more than four times the normal were recorded inland from Oamaru. Duntroon received 165 mm, the highest rainfall for May in 57 years of observation, and of this amount 102 mm fell on the 16th.

Rainfall was somewhat above normal over the greater part of the North Island. However, it was below normal there in most eastern districts besides Bay of Plenty and northern Northland.

Temperatures—Temperatures were mainly ½°C below normal over the North Island and on the West Coast, but the same amount above normal over the remainder of the South Island.

Snow was reported to low levels in Southland and Otago and on the high country of both Islands from the 29th to the 31st. Lighter falls were reported in some areas on the 13th and 14th and on the 24th and 25th.