178

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, November 13th, 1857.

THE following remarks on the Meteorology of New Zealand, by Captain Drury, R.N.,
are published for general information.

E. W. STAFFORD.

ON THE METEOROLOGY OF NEW ZEALAND

The following Meteorological remarks by Captain Byron Drury, R.N., are based on observa-
tions made in New Zealand, on board H.M.S. Pandora, during four years;—and on some valuable
contemporaneous observations. In some measure they show how uncertainly the ordinary winds
of one portion of these islands affect other parts, and yet, if the gale is extraordinary (or an
unusual one) how generally the effects are felt.
It is a matter of interest to trace the extent of the almost rotatory storm, the N.E. wind,
which commences at E., and frequently, after suddenly changing from N.E. to N.W. and S.W.,
ends within a few points of where it commenced. This is more observable at sea than in the
vicinity of the land; where it is an expanded rotatory gale, and therefore has not the dire effects
of a hurricane. Its prognostics are so certain, and commence so gradually, that the anticipated
changes can be made subservient to effecting a passage.
This N.E. gale appears to be common to the southern regions from Bass Strait eastward to
Tierra del Fuego. Descriptions of it at the latter place do not materially differ from what is
observed here, except that here they are more decided in the spring and summer than in the
winter.

Before discussing the local winds of these islands, we may describe the ordinary winds off
the coast, extending to Australia and Van Diemen's Land, beyond those latitudes where
periodical monsoons exist.

We are not able to state that particular phases of the moon are coincidental with changes in
the weather; indeed, after having kept a careful register every two hours, night and day, in
these seas during four years, we could not recognize elemental changes corresponding with
lunar phases,

In connexion with these remarks may be introduced an extract from the work of Captain
Flinders, who, during his six years' captivity in the Mauritius, never lost an opportunity of
communicating the results of investigation. In his Voyages, page 444, vol. 2, after noticing
the hurricanes that island is so liable to, he says, "An opinion commonly entertained in Mauritius
"that hurricanes are little to be apprehended, except near the time of full moon, does not seem
"to be well founded."

A marine barometer,* a sympiesometer, and an aneroid have been used for the pressure;
Mason's hygrometer for the moisture, and good thermometers for the temperature of air and
water. The barometer is a certain indicator of changes in these latitudes; no vessel should be
without it; but it requires study, for the greater height presages N.E. gales, and its changes
require special notice in reference to the weather. In the latitude of Auckland we have known
it to range from 30.66 to 28.80 during the revolution of a N.E. gale.

The ordinary wind of these seas is westerly nearly the whole year round.

It may be generally assumed that the barometer falls to N. and N.W. winds; that these are
the rainy quarters; and that although the wind becomes stronger at first as it draws to S.W.,
the weather will clear up.

The steadiest wind is about W.S.W. The changes are almost invariably with the sun, or
contrary to the movement of the hands of a watch.† South winds bring cold clear weather; and
raise the barometer high. S.E. winds are uncommon, but when they do set in, usually in April,
May, and June, they last several days; with cold raw weather; and the barometer about 30.00.
The N.E. wind occurs about once a month in spring and summer, but less regularly in winter;
it is preceded by cloudless serenity and calms; the barometer from 30.30 to 30.60. A light
breeze from the eastward, drawing to N.E., is gradually accompanied by a dull sky; the baro-
meter begins to fall and the breeze freshens briskly. The sky becomes overcast, and usually in
twelve hours it begins to rain. From that time to thirty-six or forty-eight hours the wind con-
tinually increases: in a heavy squall it will suddenly shift to the N.W., from which quarter it
blows still stronger for from six to eighteen hours, latterly accompanied by heavy rain or hail;
lightning is frequently seen in the S.E. quarter. The barometer is at its lowest a little before
there is another (sometimes) sudden change to the S.W., from which quarter it begins to clear,
while the glass rises rapidly, although the squalls are at first very violent. The wind sometimes
remains in this quarter, sometimes veers round as far as S.S.E.; but if it should remain at

Carefully compared at the Cape of Good Hope and in England, and found to be correct. The barometer
was by Newman, with an iron cistern, and considered a very good one. In 1851 it was compared
Maclear's at the Cape Observatory, and in 1856 with Mr. Cox's standard at Devonport.
† Contrary to those of the northern hemisphere, though still with the sun, which of course
differently.