✨ Weather Report
5 MARCH THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 989
THE WEATHER IN NEW ZEALAND IN DECEMBER 1985
General—December was cloudy and wetter in most places, with above average temperatures over the whole country.
North-westerly winds prevailed over the whole country and strong winds were less frequent than usual. North-easterlies and south-easterlies were about 10 percent more frequent than usual. South-westerlies had their lowest frequency over the southern part of the South Island for almost 30 years.
Mean sea level pressures were above average throughout the whole country, the greatest departures were in the east of the North Island where the pressure was 2 hpa above average.
Surface flooding was reported in Auckland City and the Paraparaumu area on the 2nd and 23rd respectively. With heavy rainfall affecting other areas on those dates.
Most farmers reported very good grass growth, but rain made haymaking difficult. Fly strike was reported on some farms, but otherwise stock were in very good condition.
Rainfall—Rainfall was above average over most of the country and several records were set this month for maximum monthly rainfall. However Southland, Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay and the Gisborne area received below average rainfall. Nelson, Paraparaumu, Whenuapai and Auckland recorded well over 200 percent of normal rainfall (see table below). On the 2nd Auckland City Weather Office recorded 52 mm from midday to midnight, and 133 mm was recorded at Paraparaumu Airport within 24 hours over the 22nd and 23rd. Auckland and Whenuapai rainfalls were the highest on record, Paraparaumu the second highest.
Some of the greatest departures this month were:
| Station | Start of Record | Total Rainfall (mm) | Percent of Average | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whenuapai | 1943 | 236 | 248 | Highest on record |
| Auckland City | 1961 | 172 | 214 | Highest on record |
| Auckland Airport | 1962 | 139 | 159 | Second highest on record |
| Taupo Airport | 1976 | 161 | — | Highest on record |
| Ohakea | 1940 | 198 | 224 | Highest on record |
| Paraparaumu Airport | 1945 | 215 | 282 | Second highest on record |
| Nelson Airport | 1941 | 161 | 219 | Second highest on record |
| Station | Start of Record | Total Rainfall (mm) | Percent of Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gisborne | 1937 | 22 | 25 |
| New Plymouth | 1944 | 108 | 70 |
| Invercargill | 1939 | 52 | 63 |
| Roxburgh | 1948 | 35 | 63 |
Temperatures—Mean daily temperatures were at least 0.5°C above average, and mostly 1.5°C above average for the whole country. The West Coast of the South Island had mean daily temperatures 2.0°C above average, with average minimum temperatures being up to 2.5°C above normal.
Sunshine—The South Island was fairly cloudy throughout the month, while sunny days in the North Island were evenly spread, although the first few days were relatively cloudy. Sunshine hours for the North Island were either just below or just above normal for December. Southland’s sunshine was just above normal. Canterbury, Otago and Westland sunshine hours were about 70 percent of normal. Kaikoura’s December sunshine was the lowest on record.
Some of the greatest departures were:
| Station | Start of Record | Departure from Normal (hours) | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaikoura | 1960 | -64 | Lowest on record |
| Christchurch Airport | 1956 | -56 | Second lowest on record |
| Hokitika Airport | 1964 | -43 | Second lowest on record |
| Dunedin Airport | 1962 | -55 | |
| Queenstown | 1930 | -58 |
J. S. HICKMAN, Director.
Next Page →
PDF embedding disabled (Crown copyright)
View this page online at:
VUW Te Waharoa —
NZ Gazette 1986, No 32
NZLII —
NZ Gazette 1986, No 32
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
🎓 Weather in New Zealand in December 1985
🎓 Education, Culture & ScienceWeather, Rainfall, Temperature, Sunshine, December 1985
- J. S. Hickman, Director