660
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
ABSTRACT of METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, New Zealand, for the Month of OCTOBER, 1869.

BAROMETER.
Corrected and
Reduced to Sea
Level.
STATIONS.
TEMPERATURE FROM SELF-REGISTERING
INSTRUMENTS, READ IN MORNING
FOR TWENTY-FOUR HOURS PREVIOUSLY.
COMPUTED
FROM
OBSERVATIONS.
RAIN.
WIND.
CLOUD.
Mean
Extr'me Mean Mean Extr'me Max. Min. Mean Mean Total No. of Average Maximum Mean
Reading Range. Temp. Daily Range Temp. Temp. Elastic Deg. of Fall Days Daily Force in Miles Amount
in of in Sun's of Vapour. Moist. (Satu- Month on which Rain for 24 hours, Month
Shade. Temp. Rays. Grass. ratio Month. fell. Month. and Date. (0to10).
=100.) (inches)
MONGONUI ... 30·070 1·085 58·1 12·2 30·0 ... ... ·421 87 2·760 16 222 542, 14th 6·2
Same month previous 4 years 29·876 58·6 ... ... ... ... ·413 76 3·932 17
AUCKLAND ... 30·048 1·133 56·8 13·5 33·0 126·2 23·7 ·391 84 2·959 15 290 487, 14th 5·7
Same month previous 5 years 29·817 58·7 ... ... ... ... ·374 74 3·143 18
TARANAKI ... 29·988 1·193 55·0 13·8 31·5 151·0 ... ·304 70 5·630 18 265 520, 18th 7·2
Same month previous years 29·826 55·5 ... ... ... ... ·373 74 6·040 18
NAPIER *
Same month previous 3 years
WELLINGTON ... 29·985 1·197 53·9 11·1 29·7 130·0 34·0 ·335 80 11·150 16 298 960, 22nd 6·0
Same month previous years 29·781 54·2 ... ... ... ... ·293 68 3·648 12
NELSON ... 29·932 1·313 54·7 21·4 41·0 117·0 ... ·327 77 8·950 9 133 254, 26th 5·6
Same month previous 5 years 29·866 54·7 ... ... ... ... ·367 72 3·632 9
CHRISTCHURCH 29·914 1·012 53·1 18·9 50·2 146·7 16·6 ·298 74 3·831 11 139 283, 26th 5·0
Same month previous 5 years 29·716 53·1 ... ... ... ... ·314 70 1·775 11
HOKITIKA ... 29·977 1·311 52·3 12·4 33·5 81·6 ... ·324 82 8·950 18 244 518, 13th 7·0
Same month previous 3 years 29·781 51·2 ... ... ... ... ·370 91 14·876 23
BEALEY † 29·792 ·914 45·4 15·6 40·6 130·0 10·5 ·230 79 15·471 19 103 581, 26th 5·6
Same month previous year 29'657 46·0 ... ... ... ... ·235 77 14·028 24
DUNEDIN ... 29·925 1·075 51·4 16·8 42·0 140·0 22·0 ·274 72 1·923 16 107 400, 23rd 5·0
Same month previous years 29·764 49·9 ... ... ... ... ·258 68 1·741 17
SOUTHLAND ... 29·834 1·087 50·7 19·8 46·0 ... ·283 78 2·780 10 263 520, 23rd 5·5
Same month previous 4 years 29·594 49·8 ... ... ... ... ·246 69 4·355 18
TAITA, the Hutt, Wel- 29·926 1·260 56·1 19·8 53·3 ... ... ·328 72 15·960 20 ... 6·8
lington ‡

• No Returns.
  † Altitude, 2,104 feet above sea-level.
  ‡ New station in the Hutt Valley, seventy feet above sea-level. Observer, W. W. Mantell.

NOTES.

Mongonui.—Gale commenced on 12th and continued until 14th, with thunder and lightning; hail on 17th; very dry fine weather
during month. Prevailing wind N.W.

Auckland.—Excepting from 23rd to 26th, when it was showery from N.N.W., the weather was very pleasant, with moderate
wind, which prevailed from the North.

Taranaki.—Stormy from 16th to 18th from S.E., but little rain; although there was some heavy rain during the month, at
times the weather was very pleasant. Fog on 24th and 25th. Prevailing wind N.

Wellington.—Weather fine up to 11th; on 12th wet weather set in from N. W., but wind changed to S.E. on 13th and continued from
that quarter until 17th, with very heavy rain and strong cold wind, accompanied with hail at times. After three days of fine
weather strong winds set in from N.W. on 21st, and continued up to the 29th; the rain during this period was almost
incessant, and the wind at times very strong. 3.200 inches recorded on 30th for previous 24 hours. On the 30th the wind
shifted to S.E. and brought fine weather. Twenty days of N.W. wind.

Nelson.—Heavy rain from 11th to 14th, with wind from N. and N.E., which was moderate. Very heavy rainfalls again recorded on
25th, 26th, and 29th, with wind from same quarter, and squally at times. The rainfall was far above the average for same
month in previous years. Prevailing wind N.E.

Christchurch.—The weather was windy from 23rd up to 28th, from N.E. and N.W., but no rain; hail on 16th; very wet weather
from 12th to 17th from S.E. and S.W., wind moderate; pleasant in early part of month. Prevailing wind E.

Hokitika.—Strong N.E. wind on 10th, and on 13th from S.E. with rain; on 24th and 25th it blew hard from N.E., with rain
and thunder on 24th. On 26th stormy from N.W., with heavy rain; the total rainfall was considerably below the average,
and otherwise the weather was pleasant. Prevailing wind, N.W.

Bealey.—Stormy on 25th from N.W., with thunder and heavy rain, also strong wind on 26th same quarter; from 11th to 17th
rain continued, wind from N.W and S.W., and moderate; snow on 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, and 28th; hail on 14th and
15th. Very heavy rain and severe weather during the month. Prevailing wind N.W.

Dunedin.—Weather at this station was unusually fine, with little rain and light winds; snow on 14th and 15th; fog on 8th and
20th. Prevailing wind S.E.

Southland.—Fine dry weather during the month, but cold; on 2nd strong N.W. wind, with rain. On 22nd and 23rd stormy
from N., but no rain; hail on 15th from S.E.; there was a hard frost on 17th, with wind from E. An earthquake occurred
on 11th at 1:30 a.m., a sharp shock from S. to N. Prevailing wind from N.W.

GENERAL REMARKS.

Month characterized by a heavy gale from S.E. of unusual severity and persistence, accompanied by electrical disturbances,
low temperature and heavy rainfall, especially in the Wellington district. Towards the end of the month northerly gales
occurred, with heavy rainfall and high temperature. The alternation of climate has been very great, without any very extreme
fluctuation in the atmospheric pressure.

JAMES HECTOR, Inspector.

Printed under the authority of the New Zealand Government, by GEORGE DIDSBURY, Government Printer, Wellington.