Spring - hot for some, but mild and windy elsewhere

Residents of Culverden in North Canterbury enjoyed their hottest November temperature since 1983, 30C, but for many it was a mild, windy spring.

Rainfall was below average in much of Northland, from the Kaikoura coast to North Canterbury, and in scattered areas of central Hawkes Bay, the latest National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) figures show.

But parts of Otago and inland areas of Southland received more rain than average, and it was extremely wet on Campbell Island. Gisborne and eastern Otago enjoyed the best of the weather, with sunshine hours at least 10 per cent above average. Totals were below average in many western regions, from Waikato to Northland.

Western regions were cloudier than usual, with anticyclones over the Southeast Asia/Tasman Sea region producing more westerly and south-westerly winds over New Zealand, with very windy conditions at times.

Gusts in excess of 150km/h occurred at well-exposed sites on several occasions - 167km/h at South West Cape, on October 18, 152km/h at Castlepoint on October 22, and 156km/h at Baring Head on October 24.

Thousands of Golden Bay houses were left without power on October 14 when gale force winds up to 100km/h toppled trees, and on November 15, thunderstorms, high winds, and heavy rainfall buffeted many parts of the North Island.

Other significant weather included two damaging hailstorms, a tornado, four damaging wind events, and at least three heavy rainfall events, with some producing floods, the worst in parts of Napier on October 18.

Three notable spring snowfalls produced stock losses in the South Island.

Two motorists were killed in Hastings on November 28 when 130km/h winds uprooted a tree which fell on their car.

- NZPA