80 Weather and Climate (1986) 6: 80-82 NEW ZEALAND WEATHER BRIEF REVIEW OF THE WEATHER (Wellington) with a mean daily temperature of 17.8 'C. The SUMMER 1985-86 (Fig. 1) warmest was 18.8°C during the summer of 1934-35. Records began in 1862. On a nationwide basis this summer Throughout New Zealand this summer was warmer than usual. Mean daily temperatures ranged from 1 'C to 2 'C was the third equal warmest since records began in 1853. above average. For many places on the east coast of the In parts of Auckland this was the wettest summer for at North Island, in the Manawatu and in the Wairarapa this least ten years, and at Paraparaumu and Nelson Airports it was the warmest summer for many years. was the wettest for at least forty years. Westerlies prevailed over the North Island. North- Hours of bright sunshine were near or below average westerlies prevailed over the South Island with their highest throughout the country, being about eighty-five percent of frequency since records began in 1956. Southwesterlies also average in coastal Otago and in Fiordland. had their lowest frequency on record over this part of the country for summer. MONTHLY SUMMARIES Over the North Island rainfall was well above average in DECEMBER 1985 - FEBRUARY 1986 Auckland and the Manawatu, and below average in Gisborne and Hawkes Bay. Over the South Island rainfall December was cloudy and wetter than usual in most was well above average in Nelson. places, with above average temperatures over the whole country. Northwesterlies prevailed and strong winds were This summer was the third warmest on record in Kelburn less frequent than usual. Southwesterlies had their lowest SUMMER 1985/86 A RAINFALL TEMPERATURE C SUNSHINE (DECEMBER - FEBRUARY) Well above normal Above normal Normal Below normal Well below normal Fig. I: Summer 1985/86. Rainfall (A) and temperature (B) departure maps based on observations from 46 stations; sunshine (C) based on observations from 23 stations. New Zealand Weather 81 frequency over the south of the South Island for almost Island apart from Gisborne, Hawkes Bay and the thirty years. Mean sea level pressures were above average Wairarapa. Rainfall totals for the Gisborne region ranged throughout New Zealand. Rainfall was above average over from 45 to 60 percent of average. Record January rainfalls most of the country and several records were set for were recorded at Rotorua Airport, Kinleith, Auckland monthly rainfall in December at Whenuapai, Auckland City, Hamilton Airport and Nelson Airport. Over the City, Taupo Airport and Ohakea. Rainfall at these places South Island rainfall was generally near average, apart was well over 200 percent of normal. In Taranaki, from Buller, Marlborough and Nelson where it ranged Gisborne, Hawkes Bay and in Southland rainfall was below from 150 to over 300 percent of average. Nationwide average. Mean daily temperatures were at least 0.5 'C above January was one of the warmest months ever. Mean average, and mostly 1.5 "C above average over the whole temperatures were 2 'C above the long term averages, country. On the West Coast of the South Island mean daily making it the second warmest month since records began in temperatures were 2.0 "C above average. It was a cloudy the 1860's. The mean daily temperature was 2.5 "C above month in the South Island. Southland's sunshine was just average in the King Country, Wellington, South Canter- above average, while in Canterbury, Otago and Westland bury and Central Otago. At Gisborne Airport the mean sunshine hours were only 70 percent of average. Kaikoura daily maximum temperature averaged 27.4 "C, which is the recorded the least sunshine there for December on record. second highest there since records began in 1938. Throughout the whole of the country hours of bright January was much warmer than average throughout New sunshine ranged between 85 and 105 percent of normal. The Zealand. Northwesterlies also prevailed this month, with region with the least amount of sunshine was in Southern their highest frequency over the South Island since records Hawkes Bay. Mean sea level pressures were 1 to 2 hPa began in 1956. Flooding occurred in a number of places in above average. the North Island from the 4th to the 6th, resulting in many people being evacuated from their homes. The worst February was slightly warmer and wetter than usual in most affected places were Pawarenga (Northland), Ngongotaha places. Southwesterlies prevailed over the North Island with (near Rotorua), Tarawera, and the Henderson Valley. more strong winds than usual, while northwesterlies Floods resulted again after heavy rain in Nelson City on the prevailed over the south of the South Island. Over the 25th, causing major damage to some houses, bridges and South Island the frequency of southeasterlies was the the sewage system, together with severe slips causing roads highest on record which accounted for some of the record out of the city to be blocked. Approximately 150 people in high rainfalls on the East coast. There was a lack of strong the Brightwater and Matai regions evacuated their homes. winds over the South Island. Record high February Rainfall was well above average throughout the North rainfalls were recorded at Blenheim Airport, Timaru AUTUMN 1986 TEMPERATURE C SUNSHINE (MARCH - MAY) Well above normal Mom. Above normal Normal Below normal Well below normal Fig. 2: As Fig. 1, but for Autumn 1986. 82 New Zealand Weather Airport, Roxburgh and Dunedin Airport. At Kaitaia North Island and in Nelson. Temperatures were about 1 'C Airport 159 mm fell in the 24 hours to 9 a.m, on the 16th. above average on the West Coast of the South Island and in Mean sea level pressures were 3 to 4 hPa below average over Southland and Central Otago. March was a particularly the whole of New Zealand. Hours of sunshine were gen- sunny month over most of New Zealand. Record high erally near normal. In parts of Canterbury and Westland hours of sunshine were recorded in many western North sunshine was ten percent above average, while the Mana- Island regions from Taranaki to Auckland, where sunshine watu had one of the lowest sunshine totals for February ranged between 120 to 140 percent of average. since records began. There was also less sunshine than usual in Otago. April was a dry sunny month. Many clear nights in east BRIEF REVIEW OF THE WEATHER coast regions from Gisborne to South Canterbury were an AUTUMN 1986 (Fig. 2) advantage for people who wished to view Halley's Comet. Strong winds occurred with twice their usual frequency over This autumn was sunnier, slightly warmer, and drier than the south of the South Island, the greatest for April for over average in most places. Easterlies were generally less ten years. Northwesterlies were predominant over the South frequent than usual. There were less strong winds than usual over the North Island, and more strong winds over Island and had their highest frequency since records began the south of the South Island. Rainfall was above average in 1956. Southwesterlies prevailed over the North Island with their usual frequency and it was less windy than usual. in Canterbury, North Otago; and parts of Southland. Over Mean sea level pressures ranged from near normal in the North Island rainfall in most places ranged from 50 to Southland to over 4 hPa above normal in Northland. 75 percent of average. Rainfall was less than fifty percent of Rainfall was above average on the West Coast of the South normal in Whangarei, Auckland City and at Tauranga and Island, in Fiordland and in Southland. Invercargill Gisborne Airports. Mean daily maximum temperatures recorded 160 percent of normal rainfall for April. were between 0.5 ' and 1.0 'C above average in most places, Throughout the remainder of the country rainfall was well and up to 1.5 "C above average in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay below average, especially on the east coast of both islands, and in some places in Canterbury and North Otago. Mean and in most places to the north of Hamilton. Record low daily minimum temperatures were about 0.5 "C below April rainfalls were recorded at Whangarei Airport (25 average in the North Island, apart from eastern regions mm), Warkworth (20 mm), Whenuapai (38 mm), East Cape from Taranaki to Wellington, and between 0.5 ' to 1.0 "C (11 mm), Napier Airport (4 mm), Hastings (6 mm), and above average over much of the South Island. After a Waingawa (17 mm). The mean daily maximum temperature cloudy summer throughout most of New Zealand, autumn was about 1 'C above average in most regions of the North was particularly sunny, with Auckland, Wellington and Island. On the east coast from Gisborne to southern Canterbury regions recording between 120 and 130 percent Wairarapa the mean daily maximum temperature was 2 ' to of average sunshine. Auckland City recorded the sunniest 3 'C above average. Mean daily minimum temperatures autumn period for at least 24 years, Waingawa 44 years, were near to 1 'C below average in most regions apart from Paraparaumu Airport 34 years, Kelburn (Wellington) 57 Wellington, the Manawatu and Taranaki, where it was 1 'C years and Christchurch Airport 38 years. Total hours of above average. In the South Island maximum daily sunshine for autumn were below average in Southland and on the West Coast of the South Island, temperatures were near to 1 'C below average on the West Coast and in Fiordland, and up to 3.5 "C above average in MONTHLY SUMMARIES Canterbury and North Otago. Mean daily minimum MARCH - MAY 1986 temperatures were about 1 "C above average, except at Invercargill Airport where it was 8.0 "C (2.4 "C above March was a sunny month, especially over the North normal), the highest there for April since records began in Island.