New Zealand Gazette – 1857 – No. 30

Page 184

✨ Meteorological Statistics



184
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

The barometer is very variable on this coast; its fluctuations amount almost to a puzzle on
shore. It is supposed the lofty mountains must have some share in producing local pressure, as
the mercury is frequently moxing, though no-apparent atmospheric disturbance takes place. *
The following remarks are specially applicable at sea. In winter the mercury falls previously to a
S.S.E. or a S.W. gale, but immediately before commencing it rises, and when at its greatest
height the gale blows strongest. In winter such a gale brings continuous rain for three days:
but in spring and autumn severe squalls, with rain, hail, and sleet, the glass remaining high, and
it is succeeded by N.E. wind and fine weather. The mercury falls before a N.W. gale, especially
if followed by a wet S.W. wind: the change is often immediate. It is very low when snow falls,
although without wind.

At Lyttelton the barometer has been very low for many days without any change: it has
been at its highest with very bad weather, and soon after at its lowest with very fine weather. It
appears that the cyclone north-easter does not occur above four times a year, then the rain from
this quarter is heavy. The greatest fall of rain yet known in twenty-four hours was 2-14 inches
in April 1853.

The uncertainty of the weather is shown to be remarkable by the following example. The
rain that fell in,-

April 1852 3.09 inches.
April 1853 9.40 "
April 1854 1.08 "

April is considered a fine dry month, but in 1853 more rain fell than in any other month.
Snow rarely falls on the plains, but it has fallen in May, July, August, and September. In Au-
gust 1851 there was a heavy fall of two inches deep, that lay all day. Thunder and lightning
are rare. Their clouds proceed from N. W. or S.W., with dense cumulo-stratus. This occurs in
spring and autumn.

The temperature at Christchurch has been as low as 27 ° (June 10, 1852); the highest was
91 ° in the shade on February 1, 1854, at 3 p.m.

The greatest amount of pressure was 30.64, August 14, 1854.
The least pressure 28.85, May 17, 1853.

The following Tables are from observations in 1852, 1853, and 1854, at Christchurch

TEMPERATURE.

Jan. Feb. March. April. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
Minimum. 52 52 52 45 37 32 31 33 39 44 46 51
Maximum. 89 87 83 79 69 61 61 61 67 68 77 82
Mean.... 70 69 67 62 58 46½ 46 47 53 60 61½ 66½

PRESSURE.

Jan. Feb. March. April. May. June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
Minimum. 29.15 29.26 29.27 29.50 29.02 29.11 29.07 29.19 29.14 29.26 29.25 29.15
Maximum. 30.18 30.09 30.31 30.50 30.33 30.43 30.42 30.50 30.21 30.26 30.27 30.14
Mean 29.66 29.67 29.79 30.60 29.67 29.77 29.74 29.84 29.67 29.76 29.76 29.64

The above observations were registered only between 9 a.m and 4 p.m., 20 feet above sea level.

Average Temperature. Average Pressure. Rain. Fair. Rainy Days. Frosty Nights
1852. 59 29.76 27.53 304 62 15
1853. 58 29.72 41.34 295 70 22
1854... 59 29.76 26.40 313 52 19
  • Similar effects have been noticed near Tierra del Fuego.


Next Page →



Online Sources for this page:

VUW Te Waharoa — PDF NZ Gazette 1857, No 30




✨ LLM interpretation of page content

🎓 Detailed Meteorological Observations and Statistics for Christchurch (1852-1854) (continued from previous page)

🎓 Education, Culture & Science
Weather, Barometer, Temperature, Rainfall, Christchurch, Statistics, 1852, 1853, 1854