Temperatures high

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32885, 7 April 1972, Page 10

Temperatures high

March was a mild, settled month with abundant sunshine and mean temperatures were the second highest in 100 years of records, the monthly weather summary prepared by the Christchurch meteorological office reports. Less than half the normal rainfall was recorded and both night and day temperatures were consistently above normal. The highest temperature was 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees F) recorded on March 11. Although rainfall was well below average, it was evenly spread throughout the month. Sunshine hours of 197 were the highest since 1949 and the first half of the month was the sunnier. The high temperatures, sunshine and lack of rain were due in the main to the predominance of northerly to westerly conditions which were unusually prevalent for the time of the year. North-westerly conditions prevailed on half the days during March and winds were generally stronger than normal for the month.