An 11.82 metre "violent storm wave" has been recorded in Canterbury as the region experiences its gloomiest month of weather in more than a decade. The wave – which was about three-and-a-half storeys high – was recorded east of Banks Peninsula by a NIWA buoy about 9pm on Wednesday. June had the least amount of recorded sunshine hours in Christchurch in more than two decades with 75.4 hours of sun, well below the June average of 117.1 hours, NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll said. Wellington also experienced large waves on Thursday, but most were up to 5m high, less than half the height of the wave recorded in Canterbury. However, the last comparable month to this June was July 1996, when 78.4 hours of sunshine were recorded in Christchurch, Noll said.

Source: Stuff July 01, 2020 22:52 UTC