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

STATIONS.

BAROMETER.
Corrected and
Reduced to Sea
Level.

TEMPERATURE FROM SELF-REGISTERING
INSTRUMENTS, READ IN MORNING
FOR TWENTY-FOUR HOURS PREVIOUSLY.

Mean
Reading
Mean Extr'me
Range
Shade.

Mean
Temp.

Mean
Daily
Range
of
Temp.

Extr'me Max.
Temp.
in Sun's
Rays.

Min.
Temp.
on
Grass.

COMPUTED
FROM
OBSERVATIONS.

Mean
Elastic
Force
of
Vapour.

Mean
Moist.
Deg. of
(Satu-
ration
=100.)

RAIN.

Total
Fall
in
Month
(inches)

No. of
Days
on
which
Rain
fell.

Average
Daily
Force
in Miles
for
Month.

Maximum
Velocity
in Miles
for 24 hours,
and Date.

CLOUD.

Mean
Amount
(0to10).

MONGONUI ... 29.994 .681 65.5 11.7 24.5 .501 80 2.650 15 1.79 417, 1st 6.2
Same month previous 4 years 29.921 65.4 .497 72 2.310 10

AUCKLAND ... 30.024 .718 64.5 13.2 27.5 153.7 36.6 .500 83 6.400 18 2.44 407, 16th 5.9
Same month previous 5 years 29.852 66.7 .473 71 3.211 14

TARANAKI ... 30.000 .719 64.5 16.5 33.8 151.2 43.0 .409 65 10.370 20 2.23* 530, 10th 6.7
Same month previous 5 years 29.884 62.8 .477 73 3.954 10

NAPIER † ... 30.016 .753 62.8 11.8 33.7 123.0 37.0 .464 82 6.323 13 1.64 375, 6th 4.9
WELLINGTON ... Same month previous years 29.836 60.6 .371 67 3.427 12

NELSON ... 29.966 .775 64.1 20.4 40.0 160.0 .475 77 2.630 11 1.32 334, 17th 6.5
Same month previous 5 years 29.838 61.2 .486 77 5.536 9

CHRISTCHURCH 29.971 .821 62.0 13.8 43.9 151.7 22.1 .449 81 1.709 9 1.79 467, 19th 6.3
Same month previous years 29.791 60.3 .393 69 1.605

BEALEY ‡ 29.791 .597 57.6 16.5 42.0 140.0 20.7 .344 72 6.469 15 75 280, 30th 5.0
Same month previous year 29.637 49.1 .281 77 22.267 25

HOKITIKA ... 29.983 .715 62.8 13.2 35.9 101.2 .470 82 10.120 15 2.03 317, 29th 6.3
Same month previous 3 years 29.886 57.0 .482§ 90§ 12.848 21 and 31st

DUNEDIN ... 29.979 .758 59.5 15.0 40.0 152.0 21.0 .404 80 3.320 8 72 190, 18th 5.0
Same month previous 5 years 29.843 56.0 .323 70 3.490 15

SOUTHLAND ... 29.957 .735 62.4 25.8 57.0 163.0 21.0 .441 78 1.590 9 1.03 220, 11th 4.7
Same month previous 4 years 29.687 55.9 .293 66 3.167 11

• For nineteen days only.
  † Return not complete.
  ‡ Altitude, 2.104 feet.
  § For two years only.

NOTES.
Mongonui.—On the whole, fine weather. Thunder on 7th, 17th, and 18th; prevailing wind N.E.
Auckland.—Generally the weather was wet with high winds, although some pleasant weather occurred. On 14th and 15th there
Taranaki.—Very wet weather at this station. Very stormy from S.E. from 1st to 3rd, with heavy rain and thunder on 1st,
Wellington.—Heavy rain during month. On 15th the rain was heavier than it has been for previous sixteen years while it
lasted, also the loudest thunder heard; thunder also on 14th and 16th, that on the latter date being very severe, and
with most vivid lightning; wind N.W. There were occasional very fine bright days, with light N.W. winds, but usually
the weather was very oppressive and threatening. Slight earthquake on 29th, at 3.45 a.m., felt at Wanganui.
Nelson.—Fine weather generally with moderate winds. On 7th thunder and lightning with rain, wind N.W.; and on 15th
very heavy thunder storm with rain, between 2 and 3 p.m., about same time as that at Wellington on same day. Prevailing
wind N.W.
Christchurch.—Very seasonable and pleasant weather at this station during the month. On 18th and 19th there were strong
N.E. winds, otherwise the wind was moderate. Fourteen days of E. wind.
Bealey.—With exception of 16th and 29th, when there was a thunder storm and rain on the former date, and thunder, rain,
and a gale from N.W. on latter, the weather was very fine, with an unusually small rainfall; there were seventeen days of
N.W. wind.
Hokitika.—Close sultry weather generally at this station. Thunder on 15th, 16th, 18th, and 29th; hail on 16th; strong wind
on 28th and 29th, with rain from N.W. Prevailing wind N.W.
Dunedin.—Very pleasant calm weather during month. Rather heavy rain from 29th to 31st; foggy on morning of 21st.
Prevailing wind N.E.
Southland.—Very fine, dry, warm month. Thunder on 1st, 12th, 17th, and 25th; very severe on 17th; sharp earthquake shock
on 25th, about 5 p.m.; twenty days of S.E. wind.

wind N.E. fourteen days. Waterspout reported in Rangitoto Passage.
and on 10th strong wind from N.W. Prevailing wind N.E.
Prevailing wind N.W.
Prevailing wind N.W.

GENERAL REMARKS.
The most remarkable feature in the weather for this month was the occurrence of severe electrical storms throughout almost
the whole of the Colony towards the middle of the month, with vivid and dangerous lightning. There was also heavy rain at
many of the stations at the same period, but no severe gales are reported.

JAMES HECTOR, Inspector.

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