Michael wrote:My memory recollects the months of unsettled weather ie June to December 1988, June 1993, The winter of 1986 it was cold Summer 1996-97 was crap Spring 1992 was SW and untold others then the good days inbetween ie the 4 days of Easter 1992 as one,the 3rd week of May 1999 was another.The great Summer of 1977-78. The hot February in 1998.The frosty rather dry winter in 1987 etc
TonyT wrote:[He has probably the largest and best collection of cloud photos in the country, and a great memory for storms from the past. He is very passionate about meteorology.
Your recollections may relate a little to the following. Without having a ready summary of rainfalls, etc for comparison, it is true that until about 1978 there was a significant number of years when Auckland was the sunniest "main centre" - ie when compared with Ch'ch and Wellington, as Dunedin was never close. Lengthy periods of this occurred in 1937-1945 and in 1973-1978 (except 1975). In 1970 Auckaland was not far behind Blenheim, and far ahead of W'gton & Chch. This is not to say the weather was more "settled" in those days of course though from 1974-1979 there were more easterly anomalies over NZ according to NZMS "Meterological Observations" (1980) and W'gton copped a lot of extra rain. Since 1978 there have been very few years when Auckland sunshine surpassed the other 2 centres, though it has started well this year.
A difficulty with this is that Auckland has had a number of different observation sites. However I have a friend who has lived there since the late 1960s and he thinks that "recent" years have been inferior to the older ones (can't be very specific about it). There is the matter of the (Pacific) decadal oscillation which was in its El Nino-favouring phase from about 1976/7 to 1998 (I think).
But one thing is certain - all NZ is in a changeable maritime temperate zone, and the basic weather ain't going to become "reliable" by any stretch.
Michael wrote:My memory recollects the months of unsettled weather ie June to December 1988, June 1993, The winter of 1986 it was cold Summer 1996-97 was crap Spring 1992 was SW and untold others then the good days inbetween ie the 4 days of Easter 1992 as one,the 3rd week of May 1999 was another.The great Summer of 1977-78. The hot February in 1998.The frosty rather dry winter in 1987 etc
TonyT wrote:[He has probably the largest and best collection of cloud photos in the country, and a great memory for storms from the past. He is very passionate about meteorology.
Your recollections may relate a little to the following. Without having a ready summary of rainfalls, etc for comparison, it is true that until about 1978 there was a significant number of years when Auckland was the sunniest "main centre" - ie when compared with Ch'ch and Wellington, as Dunedin was never close. Lengthy periods of this occurred in 1937-1945 and in 1973-1978 (except 1975). In 1970 Auckaland was not far behind Blenheim, and far ahead of W'gton & Chch. This is not to say the weather was more "settled" in those days of course though from 1974-1979 there were more easterly anomalies over NZ according to NZMS "Meterological Observations" (1980) and W'gton copped a lot of extra rain. Since 1978 there have been very few years when Auckland sunshine surpassed the other 2 centres, though it has started well this year.
A difficulty with this is that Auckland has had a number of different observation sites. However I have a friend who has lived there since the late 1960s and he thinks that "recent" years have been inferior to the older ones (can't be very specific about it). There is the matter of the (Pacific) decadal oscillation which was in its El Nino-favouring phase from about 1976/7 to 1998 (I think).
But one thing is certain - all NZ is in a changeable maritime temperate zone, and the basic weather ain't going to become "reliable" by any stretch.
TonyT wrote:[He has probably the largest and best collection of cloud photos in the country, and a great memory for storms from the past. He is very passionate about meteorology.