500
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

ABSTRACT of METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, New Zealand, for the Month of JUNE, 1869.

• No Return received. † Altitude, 2,104 feet above sea-level.

NOTES.

Mongonui. Wet unpleasant weather during this month; the wind was very changeable and the barometer unsteady. On 7th
high wind from N.W., also strong wind on 12th from same quarter; strong N.E. wind on 27th, with rain.

Auckland.-Observer remarks that during the month the weather was singularly variable; bright sunshiny days alternating with
cold, wet, and unpleasant weather. After a threatening day on 27th the wind blew a perfect hurricane from N. and N.E.,
and continued to evening of 28th, and then changed to S.W.-much damage done in harbour; storm very violent on 29th
from S.W.; fine on 30th; thunder on 13th, and sheet lightning; lunar halo on 19th.

Taranaki. S.E. gale on 14th, also gales on 20th and 21st from same quarter, with rain; strong wind on 29th from S.W. The
rainfall is much greater than for same month in previous years, and the barometer is rather lower.

Wellington. Pleasant weather from 1st to 8th with light winds and very slight showers; from 9th to 13th weather dull, foggy,
and wet; fine, clear, bracing weather from 14th to 19th; with the exception of the 24th, which was fine and bright, the
weather from the 20th to the end of the month was wet, and at times stormy; very heavy falls of rain on 27th and 28th,
also on 30th half an inch fell in about 15 minutes; fogs on the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 24th; the prevailing wind from S.E.;
short, sharp earthquake on 1st at 6.23 p.m., and another very slight at 7:30 p.m.; also slight shake on 5th at 7.53 a.m.;
rainfall unusually heavy for this month.

Nelson. Strong winds from 16th to 18th from S.W. and N.E.; lightning on 18th; on 26th strong N.W. wind; squally weather
from 28th to 30th, chiefly from S.W. and N.W. a good deal of thunder and lightning during this period; fine weather on
the whole during the month, and though the total rainfall is above the average, there were few days of rain.

Christchurch. - Gale from S.W, on 15th, with hail continuing to next day. The weather was dull on the whole; frequent rain
in middle of month, though the total fall was smaller than usual; fog on 23rd; very sharp shock of earthquake on 5th at
8.2 a.m., and another slighter one at 7.19 p.m.; another shock at 2.21 p.m. on 6th.

Hokitika. Weather at this station was tolerably fine during the month; the rainfall was below the average, and the wind
moderate; it was stormy on 14th from S.E.; thunder and lightning on night of 25th, with heavy rain, and again on
night of 29th, with rain; shock of earthquake on morning of 24th at 11.23 a.m.

Bealey. Tolerably fine weather up to the 15th; on 16th, 17th, and 18th, high N.W. winds; then fine up to 24th; from 25th
to end of month the weather was wet, with snow on 29th and 30th; fog on the 2nd.

Dunedin. Very disagreeable weather on 14th and 15th from N.W., with rain and strong wind; hail also on 14th; otherwise
the weather at this station has been pleasant. On 24th sharp shock of earthquake at Dunedin and north to Timaru.

Southland. Observer remarks that calm mild raining weather prevailed; no snow, fog, or severe frosts; heavy gale from W. on
14th and 15th, with hail, rain, and one vivid flash of lightning, followed almost instantly by a report like that of a cannon.
On 24th (full moon), at 11 a.m., rumbling noise, followed by three sharp and two slight earthquake shocks,-movement.
rather twisting than lateral or vertical; clocks stopped, and trees waved to and fro; no damage done.

GENERAL REMARKS.

Although there were some severe storms during this month, especially in the North Island, yet the weather was, on the
whole, fine for the time of year; the average force of the wind was low, and the total rainfall for the Colony was rather lower
than for the same period in previous years.

JAMES HECTOR,
Inspector.