THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 195

ABSTRACT of METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, New Zealand, for the Month of JANUARY, 1872.

STATIONS.
BAROMETER.
Corrected and
Reduced to Sea
Level.
TEMPERATURE FROM SELF-REGISTERING
INSTRUMENTS, READ IN MORNING
FOR TWENTY-FOUR HOURS PREVIOUSLY.
Mean
Reading
Extr'me
Range.
Mean
Temp.
in
Shade.
Mean
Daily
Temp.
Extr'me
Range
of
Temp.
Max.
Temp.
on
Rays.
Min.
Temp.
on
Grass.
COMPUTED
FROM
OBSERVATIONS.
Mean
Elastic
Force
of
Vapour.
Mean
Deg. of
Satn.
Ration
(=100.)
RAIN.
Total
Fall
(inches)
No. of
Days
on
which
Rain
fell,
WIND.
Average
Daily
Velocity
in Miles
for
Month.
Maximum
Velocity
for 24
hours,
and Date.
CLOUD.
Mean
Amount
(0to10).

MONGONUI ... 30.083 .505 71.2 18.9 38.0 149.0 ... .590 76 1.340 5 126 260, 4th 4.8
Same month previous 5 years 29.920 ... 66.5 ... ... ... .509 75 4.964 12 291

AUCKLAND ... 30.092 .595 69.9 18.7 34.8 157.0 33.3 .511 70 0.472 7 291 554, 6th 5.7
Same month previous 6 years 29.874 ... 68.4 ... ... ... .521 72 3.125 9

TARANAKI ... 30.076 .621 64.8 19.7 36.8 152.0 38.0 .388 63 2.900 9 150 425, 4th 6.0
Same month previous years 29.908 ... 65.2 ... ... ... .475 71 3.458 10

NAPIER ... 29.973 1.125 68.9 20.6 40.0 147.0 26.0 .556 79 .740 4 2.0
Same month previous 5 years 29.830 ... 65.9 ... ... ... .463 71 3.920 7

WELLINGTON 29.990 .822 62.9 13.2 31.3 140.0 41.0 .427 75 2.749 6 244 600, 2nd 4.8
Same month previous 8 years 29.840 ... 63.0 ... ... ... .409 69 4.020 10

WANGANUI 30.194 .674 63.5 16.6 34.7 145.0 39.0 .407 69 2.840 9 290 545,19th 4.0
Rain av. for 8 previous years ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2.890 8

NELSON 29.979 .704 66.6 25.5 46.0 180.0 36.0 .462 72 1.930 2 6.2
Same month previous 6 years 29.874 ... 64.4 ... ... ... .494 74 5.065 5

CHRISTCHURCH 29.921 1.058 65.0 18.9 50.7 160.2 28.7 .428 69 0.375 5 173 262,25th 5.3
Same month previous 8 years 29.807 ... 62.2 ... ... ... .425 73 2.162 8

BEALEY ... 29.791 .857 59.7 19.8 41.0 140.6 17.5 .397 78 5.545 14 233 448, 1st 5.3
Same month previous 4 years 29.768 ... 56.5 ... ... ... .327 70 7.514 14

HOKITIKA 30.037 .649 61.1 10.9 25.5 97.5 41.2 .431 80 14.210 17 158 366, 4th 6.0
Same month previous 6 years 29.892 ... 60.7 ... ... ... .454 84 7.573 17

DUNEDIN 29.812 1.101 61.4 22.3 43.0 180.0 35.0 .358 66 0.250 3 157 520, 6th 5.0
Same month previous 6 years 29.843 ... 57.4 ... ... ... .350 72 4.713 18

QUEENSTOWN...

SOUTHLAND ... 59.1 22.8 47.0 153.0 24.0 .330 65 2.000 9 262 559, 12th 4.8
Same month previous 5 years ... ... 56.9 ... ... ... .350 73 6.139 13

NOTES FOR JANUARY, 1872.

Mongonui.—Remarkably dry weather during month; rainfall very much below the average, and temperature considerably above
that for former years; winds prevailed from N.W. and moderate—no gales occurred; greatest rain recorded on 3rd, 0.88
inch. Maximum temperature on 20th, 91.0.

Auckland.—Weather during month generally hot and oppressive, and exceedingly dry, the heat at times tempered by gentle
breezes; winds moderate, and prevailed from S. and S.W.; maximum rainfall recorded on 3rd, 0.153 inch only. Maximum
temperature on 25th, 88.7.

Taranaki.—Showery during early and latter part of month, but otherwise very fine and pleasant; maximum rainfall recorded on
4th, 0.680 inch; wind moderate, and prevailed from N.E. and S.W.; fog on 3rd and 4th. Maximum temperature on 24th, 81.8.

Napier.—Very dry weather throughout the month, and warm; greatest rainfall recorded on 25th, 0.61 inch; strong breeze on 5th
from W.; also on 18th and 23rd from same quarter, but no rain; prevailing winds from N.E., and moderate. Maximum
temperature on 24th, 92.0.

Wellington.—Very stormy on 1st, with slight rain from N.W.; dull threatening day on 3rd, with a few drops of rain occasionally,
barometer fell and rain came on at 5 p.m. and continued all night, 2.500 inches recorded; on 4th, wind N.W., and strong
during the night. Very fine and bright during the rest of the month, but at times very hot and remarkably dry; pleasant
shower on the 25th; winds moderate, and prevailed from N.W., except on 13th, 22nd, and 23rd, when it was stormy from
that quarter, nights generally warm and oppressive; a few cool fresh breezes from S.E. during the month. Maximum
temperature on 10th, 79.0.

Wanganui.—Strong wind on the 5th and 6th from N.W., no rain; also stormy from same quarter on 18th and 19th, without rain;
heavy gale from S.W. on 23rd, with rain; heavy rain recorded on 26th, 1.35 inch, wind N.E., otherwise weather fine and
bright during month, though at times close and sultry; prevailing winds from S.W. and N.W.; pleasant showers at times.
Maximum temperature on 10th, 80.7.

Nelson.—Weather fine, but unusually hot; only two days of rain, but heavy fall recorded on 4th, 1.70 inch; strong wind on 3rd
from N.W.; winds prevailed from N.E. and generally moderate. Maximum temperature on 24th, 90°, the highest recorded
in shade for many years.

Christchurch.—Fine, but very warm and sultry; very little rain, but there was still less in same month last year, viz., 031 of an
inch; on 4th, heavy squall from S.W. for short time, barometer fell; and on the 18th blew hard from N.W.; wind during
month moderate, and prevailed from N.E. Maximum temperature on 24th, 95.7.

Bealey.—Very warm weather; rainfall below average; heavy fall registered on 4th, 1.340 inch; strong N.W. winds on 6th, 15th,
22nd, 23rd, 27th, and 28th, but without rain; thunder and hail storm on 9th, with heavy rain; fog on 24th; weather
generally pleasant; prevailing N.W. winds. Maximum temperature on 22nd, 82.0.

Hokitika.—Generally wet dull weather; rain much above the average, heavy falls recorded on 2nd, 2.30 inches; 4th, 1.81 inch;
5th, 1.26 inch; 13th, 1.35 inch; 18th, 1.32 inch; winds generally moderate and variable, except on 4th and 5th, when it was
stormy from S.W., with rain and thunder; five days of fog. Maximum temperature on 24th, 71.6.

Dunedin.—Exceedingly fine, but unusually dry; strong winds on 6th, S.W., on 24th from S., but generally light winds and
variable; very hot and oppressive at times. Maximum temperature on 28th, 88.0.

Queenstown.—

Southland.—Fine and dry, but generally cold and windy; a few very hot days; gales on 3rd from N., on 12th from N.W.,
and on 23rd from W.; heavy rainfall on night of 3rd, 1.00 inch recorded on morning of 4th; prevailing wind N. and W.
Maximum temperature on 18th, 85.0.

GENERAL REMARKS.

The drought in all the eastern parts of the Colony, which commenced in the North in November, and in other places in
December, has continued throughout this month, accompanied by very still weather and atmospheric pressure above the average.
The heat has been very seriously felt, the temperature registered both in the shade and sun being greatly in excess of any
previous records.

JAMES HECTOR, Inspector.