THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

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

• Altitude of Bealey, 2,104 feet; and Queenstown, 1,070 feet. † Stations marked thus are only furnished with aneroid barometers.
  ‡ Mean of wind for 25 days only.

NOTES FOR MAY, 1872.

Mongonui.—Slight rainfall during month; maximum on 5th, 1.03 inch for previous 24 hours; lightning on 1st; severe thunder
and lightning on 5th, and heavy rain from S.W.; on 10th, thunder and lightning, wind S.W.; stormy on 15th and 16th,
commencing from N.E. and changing to N.W., heavy rain; thunder and lightning on 22nd, with rain from S.W.; foggy on
17th and 18th; on the whole tolerably fine month, prevailing wind N.W. Maximum temperature, 73°0; minimum, 43°0.

Auckland.—From 1st to 7th frequent showers, wind from N.W., thunder on 1st; pleasant from 7th to 13th; on night of 14th
gale from N.E., with 0·527 inch of rain, the maximum fall for month; heavy showers on 17th, and on 23rd and 25th, wind
S.W.; remainder of month pleasant, weather occasionally overcast, low temperature during night; prevailing wind from
S.W. Maximum temperature, 70°3; minimum, 40°9.

Taranaki.—Dull wet weather on the whole, though occasional fine days; maximum rainfall recorded on 22nd, 2·22 inches;
winds moderate, and prevailed from N.E. and S.W.; thunder on 1st. Maximum temperature, 73°0; minimum, 34°0.

Napier.—Generally fine during month, with cold nights and clear sharp mornings; occasionally light rain, 0·72 inch recorded on
1st for previous 24 hours; strong N.E. wind on 15th and 16th, and on 28th blew hard from S.; fog on 20th; prevailing
wind from S.W. and W. Maximum temperature, 72°0; minimum, 40°0.

Wanganui.—Thunderstorm on 1st, and heavy rain, which continued at intervals until 5th, when 1·6 inch was recorded, wind
N.W.; weather then cleared up, and was fine and dry to 14th; showery on three following days, then foggy, cold, and raw for
three days, and a fall of rain recorded on 22nd from N.E.; remainder of month tolerably fine; nights foggy on 19th and 31st;
strong winds from N.W. on 25th and 27th; otherwise light winds prevailing from N.W. Maximum temperature, 72°0;
minimum, 36°0.

Wellington.—Dull, wet, and squally up to 5th, wind N.W. and S.E.; bright cold weather 6th to 10th; 11th to 17th squally and
unsettled, though at times bright, wind N.W.; fine from 18th to 21st, light N.W. winds, then came on to rain from that
quarter, increasing to a gale during night of 21st, 2·2 inches rain fell; from 24th to end of month agreeable weather, fresh
S.E. and N.W. breezes; wind prevailed from N.W. Maximum temperature, 65°2; minimum, 41°3.

Nelson.—First part of month fine pleasant weather, wind chiefly N.W.; from 13th to 23rd unusually wet, wind changing from
N.W. to N.E; on 20th and 21st, strong wind from S.E.; maximum rainfall recorded on 13th, 3·04 inches, on 14th 2·70
inches, and on 15th 1·80 inch; from 24th to end of month finer, and wind chiefly S.W. Maximum temperature, 70°0;
minimum, 36°0.

Christchurch.—Fine, and unusually mild for time of year during nearly whole month; from 11th to 19th the weather was more
broken, wind changeable and moderate; fogs on 2nd, 14th, and 15th; very small rainfall, maximum occurred on 16th, 0·559
inch. Maximum temperature, 68°5; minimum, 32°0.

Bealey.—On the whole, wet stormy month, though at intervals some, fine, bright, pleasant days; eighteen days of N.W. wind;
sharp frosts on 4th and 5th; three days of fog; gales on 3rd, 4th, 11th, 20th, and 27th from N.W., with heavy rain; maxi-
mum fall recorded on 14th, 2·310 inches; thunder and heavy rain on evening of 27th from N.W. Maximum temperature,
59°8; minimum, 26°4.

Hokitika.—Very wet disagreeable weather almost throughout, on 21st 3·55 inches recorded, and on 22nd 2·56 inches, wind N.E.
to N.W., strong; on 14th and 15th strong wind from this quarter, with rain, and on 25th hard squalls from N.W. with rain,
and violent storms from S.W. of short duration, with thunder; thunder also on 22nd; fog on 23rd. Maximum temperature,
64°9; minimum, 34°9.

Dunedin.—Very fine, with very small total rainfall, though frequently light showers; wind moderate, and prevailed from W. and
S.W., strong on 28th from that quarter; greatest rainfall on 15th, 0·370 inch. Maximum temperature, 63°0;
minimum, 33°0.

Queenstown.—Commencement of month cold and wet; middle of month fine open weather, with occasional high winds; latter
part showery; on 10th, strong S.W. wind and cold; on 24th, severe thunder snow and hail storm, and rain, wind S.W.;
snow also on 2nd, 3rd, and 6th; wind prevailed from N.W.; greatest rainfall on 21st, 0·97 inch. Maximum temperature,
61°7; minimum, 32°6.

Southland.—Generally wet, with moderate winds prevailing from N. and N.W., and mild temperature; greatest rainfall recorded
on the 28th, 0·830 inch; no gales, but strong wind on 10th from W., on 24th from N., and on 28th from N.W.; hail on five
days; thunder on 3rd, and fog on 1st; frequent night mists. Maximum temperature, 67°0; minimum, 30°0.

JAMES HECTOR, Inspector.