38

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

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

MONGONUI
Mean Reading: 29.985, Extr'me Range: .811, Mean Temp in Shade: 59.2, Mean Daily Range: 15.8, Extr'me Range of Temp: 33.0, Max Temp in Sun's Rays: 126.0, Min Temp on Grass: ..., Mean Vapour: ..., Mean Elastic Force: ..., Mean Moist: ..., Total Fall: 3.100, Days Rain: 12, Avg Velocity: 196, Max Force: 429, 5th, Cloud: 4.0
Same month previous 7 years: 29.971, ..., 58.5, ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., 2.971, 15, ..., ..., ...

AUCKLAND
Mean Reading: 30.096, Extr'me Range: .990, Mean Temp in Shade: 55.8, Mean Daily Range: 14.0, Extr'me Range of Temp: 29.1, Max Temp in Sun's Rays: 139.4, Min Temp on Grass: 19.1, Mean Vapour: .362, Mean Elastic Force: .379, Mean Moist: 82, Total Fall: 2.737, Days Rain: 13, Avg Velocity: 336, Max Force: 536, 28th, Cloud: 6.0
Same month previous 8 years: 29.910, ..., 58.1, ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., .379, 77, 2.765, 17, ..., ..., ...

TARANAKI
Mean Reading: 30.074, Extr'me Range: .959, Mean Temp in Shade: 55.5, Mean Daily Range: 15.4, Extr'me Range of Temp: 34.0, Max Temp in Sun's Rays: 149.0, Min Temp on Grass: 27.0, Mean Vapour: .265, Mean Elastic Force: .350, Mean Moist: 63, Total Fall: 4.860, Days Rain: 15, Avg Velocity: 287, Max Force: 575, 7th, Cloud: 7.2
Same month previous 8 years: 29.881, ..., 55.3, ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., .350, 73, 5.895, 18, ..., ..., ...

NAPIER
Mean Reading: 30.034, Extr'me Range: .871, Mean Temp in Shade: 57.6, Mean Daily Range: 18.6, Extr'me Range of Temp: 37.0, Max Temp in Sun's Rays: 130.0, Min Temp on Grass: ..., Mean Vapour: .321, Mean Elastic Force: .362, Mean Moist: 67, Total Fall: 2.860, Days Rain: 11, Avg Velocity: 322, Max Force: 700, 7th & 8th, Cloud: 2.0
Same month previous 4 years: 29.911, ..., 59.1, ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., .353, 71, 1.396, 5, ..., ..., ...

WELLINGTON
Mean Reading: 29.959, Extr'me Range: .752, Mean Temp in Shade: 52.3, Mean Daily Range: 10.8, Extr'me Range of Temp: 28.3, Max Temp in Sun's Rays: 130.0, Min Temp on Grass: 32.0, Mean Vapour: .331, Mean Elastic Force: .362, Mean Moist: 85, Total Fall: 4.844, Days Rain: 15, Avg Velocity: 281, Max Force: 600, 8th, Cloud: 5.8
Same month previous 8 years: 29.823, ..., 54.3, ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., .307, 71, 4.713, 13, ..., ..., ...

*WANGANUI
Mean Reading: 30.150, Extr'me Range: .870, Mean Temp in Shade: 52.5, Mean Daily Range: 15.5, Extr'me Range of Temp: 40.0, Max Temp in Sun's Rays: 126.0, Min Temp on Grass: 12.0, Mean Vapour: .289, Mean Elastic Force: .350, Mean Moist: 75, Total Fall: 3.550, Days Rain: 10, Avg Velocity: 314, Max Force: 520, 30th, Cloud: 5.0
Same month previous 7 years: ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., 4.120, 15, ..., ..., ...

NELSON
Mean Reading: 29.963, Extr'me Range: .807, Mean Temp in Shade: 54.9, Mean Daily Range: 22.0, Extr'me Range of Temp: 39.0, Max Temp in Sun's Rays: 128.0, Min Temp on Grass: 27.0, Mean Vapour: .352, Mean Elastic Force: .354, Mean Moist: 82, Total Fall: 8.280, Days Rain: 11, Cloud: 6.3
Same month previous 8 years: 29.883, ..., 54.7, ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., .354, 74, 4.542, 8, ..., ..., ...

CHRISTCHURCH
Mean Reading: 29.934, Extr'me Range: .954, Mean Temp in Shade: 52.3, Mean Daily Range: 18.9, Extr'me Range of Temp: 43.8, Max Temp in Sun's Rays: 138.1, Min Temp on Grass: 15.8, Mean Vapour: .288, Mean Elastic Force: .312, Mean Moist: 74, Total Fall: 1.283, Days Rain: 8, Cloud: 4.2
Same month previous 8 years: 29.773, ..., 53.3, ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., .312, 82, 1.894, 10, ..., ..., ...

*BEALEY
Mean Reading: 29.660, Extr'me Range: .730, Mean Temp in Shade: 46.5, Mean Daily Range: 15.4, Extr'me Range of Temp: 40.0, Max Temp in Sun's Rays: 126.0, Min Temp on Grass: 0.5, Mean Vapour: .254, Mean Elastic Force: .249, Mean Moist: 81, Total Fall: 11.830, Days Rain: 13, Cloud: 5.9
Same month previous 4 years: 29.736, ..., 46.3, ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., .249, 80, 13.058, 19, ..., ..., ...

HOKITIKA
Mean Reading: 30.023, Extr'me Range: 1.023, Mean Temp in Shade: 52.4, Mean Daily Range: 11.1, Extr'me Range of Temp: 26.7, Max Temp in Sun's Rays: 75.4, Min Temp on Grass: 25.6, Mean Vapour: .331, Mean Elastic Force: .355, Mean Moist: 83, Total Fall: 10.720, Days Rain: 13, Avg Velocity: 181, Max Force: 314, 30th, Cloud: 4.0
Same month previous 6 years: 29.876, ..., 51.8, ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., .355, 88, 13.035, 21, ..., ..., ...

DUNEDIN
Mean Reading: 29.802, Extr'me Range: .944, Mean Temp in Shade: 51.2, Mean Daily Range: 17.6, Extr'me Range of Temp: 39.0, Max Temp in Sun's Rays: 140.0, Min Temp on Grass: 23.0, Mean Vapour: .273, Mean Elastic Force: .265, Mean Moist: 73, Total Fall: 2.252, Days Rain: 14, Avg Velocity: 154, Max Force: 430, 24th, Cloud: 6.0
Same month previous 8 years: 29.793, ..., 50.5, ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., .265, 70, 2.296, 15, ..., ..., ...

*QUEENSTOWN
Mean Reading: 30.004, Extr'me Range: .985, Mean Temp in Shade: 50.6, Mean Daily Range: 16.6, Extr'me Range of Temp: 32.2, Max Temp in Sun's Rays: 122.2, Min Temp on Grass: ..., Mean Vapour: .218, Mean Elastic Force: .254, Mean Moist: 60, Total Fall: 3.560, Days Rain: 13, Avg Velocity: 149, Max Force: 244, 2nd, Cloud: 5.5
Same month previous 7 years: 29.837, ..., 50.0, ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., .254, 70, 4.192, 16, ..., ..., ...

SOUTHLAND
Mean Reading: 29.837, Extr'me Range: 1.010, Mean Temp in Shade: 50.7, Mean Daily Range: 19.4, Extr'me Range of Temp: 46.0, Max Temp in Sun's Rays: 143.2, Min Temp on Grass: 25.0, Mean Vapour: .265, Mean Elastic Force: .254, Mean Moist: 74, Total Fall: 3.420, Days Rain: 22, Avg Velocity: 229, Max Force: 485, 23rd, Cloud: 6.4
Same month previous 7 years: 29.680, ..., 50.0, ..., ..., ..., ..., ..., .254, 70, 4.192, 16, ..., ..., ...

• Altitude of Bealey, 2,104 feet; Queenstown, 1,070 feet. The stations marked thus * are furnished with Aneroid barometers only.

NOTES FOR OCTOBER, 1872.

Mongonui.—Showery and stormy early part; fine during middle of month; showery and squally remainder. Strong N.E.
gale with rain, on 4th, and on 18th from N.W. with rain; frequently stormy; prevailing wind, N.W. Maximum rain recorded on
5th, 1.51 inch. Maximum temperature in shade, 74°; minimum, 41°.

Auckland.—Pleasant weather; often cloudy, with frequent strong breezes, especially on 8th, 20th, and 28th, from S.; no
violent storms; rain rather below average, maximum for twenty-four hours on 27th, 0.358 inch; prevailing wind, S.W.
Maximum temperature in shade, 69°1; minimum, 40°.

Taranaki.—Fine weather generally; wind moderate, except on 1st, when it blew hard from N.; prevailed from S.W.;
heavy rainfall recorded on 6th, 1.17 inch. Maximum temperature in shade, 69°; minimum, 35°.

Napier.—Showery early part; fine during middle of month, and wet and squally towards end; rainfall rather in excess,
especially number of days; maximum fall on 6th, 1.54; blew hard on 7th and 8th from S.E. and S.W.; prevailing wind from
N.E. Maximum temperature in shade, 77°; minimum, 40°.

Wellington.—Wet and squally, with strong winds from N.W. and S.E., up to 7th; on that day hail and sleet and strong
S. wind, very severe; fine and pleasant from 8th to 15th, warm sun, wind N.W., strong on 15th; wet and squally on 16th from
N.W.; 1.5 inch rain recorded on 17th, maximum for month; magnetic storm on night of 20th, thunder and lightning and
squalls of rain and wind from S.E.; strong N.W. wind on 23rd, otherwise tolerably fine from 18th to 25th; stormy and wet on
26th, N.W. changing to S.E.; 1.4 inch rain recorded on 27th; fine remainder of month, but strong wind from N.W; twenty days
of N.W. wind. Maximum temperature in shade, 65°-3; minimum, 37°.

Wanganui.—Dark and gloomy early part, with gale from W. on 2nd, and rain; changed to E. on 5th, and suddenly shifted
to S.W., and brought heavy rain and wind in night of 6th; very fine and pleasant then till 17th, when rain came on, and
continued showery during remainder of month, with intervals of fine; N. and N.W. gale on 30th and 31st; maximum rain on
6th, 1.17 inch; light frost on night of 8th; prevailing wind N.W. Maximum temperature in shade, 72°; minimum, 32°.

Nelson.—Heavy rain beginning of month; on 17th maximum fall recorded, 2.30 inches; rain again during end of month;
total rainfall much above average. Strong wind on 1st from S.E., and on 6th from same quarter; on 16th also it blew very hard
from S.E., with heavy rain. Intervals of very fine pleasant weather. Prevailing wind S.W. Maximum temperature in shade,
73°; minimum, 34°.

Christchurch.—Generally fine, with occasional showers; maximum fall on 21st, 368 inch; wind moderate and variable;
thunder and lightning on 17th, and heavy hail storm. Maximum temperature in shade, 74°-1; minimum, 30°3.

Bealey.—Tolerably fine, but with gales and high winds from N.W. throughout month, and some heavy rainfalls; maximum
recorded on 30th, 2.950 inches; twenty-six days of N.W. wind; thunder on 16th and 29th; snow on 7th. Maximum tem-
perature in shade, 64°; minimum, 24°.

Hokitika.—Showery, with intervals of fine bright weather; maximum rainfall on 2nd, 2.12 inches; prevailing wind N. and
N.W., and moderate, but on 23rd and 29th strong N.W. winds and rain; fog on 16th and 17th. Maximum temperature in
shade, 61°1; minimum, 34°.4.

Dunedin.—Warm weather, with pleasant showers; maximum fall on 17th, 392 inch; winds moderate and variable;
magnetic storm reported on 15th; thunder on 17th and 27th; hail 28th. Maximum temperature in shade, 73°; minimum, 34°.

Queenstown.—Fine for time of year, and moderate winds; at times cold from S.E.; showery dull weather during latter part
of month; thunder on 23rd, 29th; fog 16th. Maximum temperature in shade, 66°2; minimum, 34°.

Southland.—Frequent drizzling showers, but no heavy rain; maximum fall on 3rd for previous twenty-four hours, 50 inch;
northerly gale on 23rd; winds prevailed from N. and W.; thunder on 2nd, 16th, and 19th. Maximum temperature in shade,
74°; minimum, 28°.

GENERAL REMARKS.

Weather generally fine and seasonable throughout the month; rainfall about the average. Earthquakes reported—at Foxton
at 4:14 a.m on 4th, slight; Wanganui, at 4:19 a.m. on 10th, slight; Wellington, 9.56 p.m. on 14th, very slight; Nelson, 9.58
p.m. on 14th, smart. On 15th strong magnetic currents reported at Napier, Wellington, White's Bay, Christchurch, and
Blenheim, affecting telegraph wires, and stopping work; also on 18th, similar occurrence on wires at Nelson, Dunedin, and
White's Bay. Auroras—Bealey, 17th and 18th; Dunedin, 17th and 18th; Southland, 2nd, 17th, 18th, 19th, and 31st,—very
remarkable on 17th. Meteors—Auckland, 3rd, brilliant.

JAMES HECTOR, Inspector.