516

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

ABSTRACT of METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, New Zealand, for the Month of DECEMBER, 1876.

MONGONUI
Previous 11 years
AUCKLAND
Previous 12 years
TARANAKI
Previous 12 years
NAPIER
Previous 9 years
WELLINGTON
Previous 12 years
WANGANUI
Previous 4 years
NELSON
Previous 12 years
CAPE CAMPBELL
Previous 2 years
CHRISTCHURCH
Previous 12 years
BEALEY
Previous 8 years
HOKITIKA
Previous 10 years
DUNEDIN
Previous 12 years
*QUEENSTOWN
Previous 4 years
SOUTHLAND
Previous 11 years

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

• Previous 10 years. † Previous 9 years.

NOTES FOR DECEMBER, 1876.

Mongonui.—Unsettled showery weather up to 20th, and fine
for rest of month; wind prevailed from S.W. and N.W., and
frequently stormy; maximum rain recorded on 4th, 1.88 in.,
which fell in a few hours; thunder on 13th, 16th, 17th,
and 19th.

Auckland.—Cool and generally pleasant, though very showery;
greatest rain recorded on 4th, 95 in.; wind moderate, and
chiefly from S. to W.; higher atmospheric pressure and
temperature towards close of month; slight thunder on 7th and
17th.

Taranaki.—Pleasant weather, though showery; cool breezes,
chiefly westerly, and moderate. Maximum rain recorded on 11th,
67 in.

Napier.—Unsettled and showery, with fresh breezes prevail
ing from N.E.; on evening of 7th, light fa'l of hail; on 9th, slight
thunder; on night of 13th, gale from S.E., and rain; heavy thunderstorm on 19th, and on 24th strong N.W. wind.
Maximum rain recorded on 19th, 58 in.

Wellington.—Fine bright pleasant weather up to 8th from N.W.
and S.E; on 9th and 10th, strong N.W. wind; barometer com-
menced to fall on 11th and continued low to 18th, when it
read 29.414, the lowest for the month; wet and squally during
this period, chiefly from S.E.; on 16th, strong S.W. gale, and
cold; fine then until night of 22nd, when strong N. W. gale
commenced, with rain, and low barometer; continued strong until
morning of 23rd, when after a heavy fall of rain it cleared
off about 1 p.m.; very pleasant warm bright weather for
remainder of month. The maximum rainfall recorded on 13th,
450 in. Although weather at times very warm, cool breezes
were generally experienced; prevailing N. W. and SE winds.

Wanganui.—Very heavy rain, especially during middle of month,
the maximum fall recorded on 16th, 275 in.; winds generally
westerly; stormy on 13th from S.E., with rain; and S.W.
gale on 16th and 17th, with heavy rain; on 23rd fresh westerly breeze
with rain; fine during latter part of month.

Nelson.—Showery during middle of month, but otherwise fine,
with northerly and N.E. winds; heavy thunderstorm on 18th,
also distant thunder on 19th. Maximum rain registered on 19th, 1.56 in.

Cape Campbell.—Dry weather prevailed, with strong N.W.
winds; southerly gales on 13th, 16th, and 19th, and on 23rd from
W.; fog on 2nd and 3rd. Greatest rain recorded on 12th, 35 in.

Christchurch.—Very fine during early part, but sultry; wind
changed from N. to S.W. on 10th, and brought rain, which con-
tinued up to 13th; 1.14 in. recorded on 12th; remainder
of month variable, with occasional showers; prevailing wind E.
and N.E., strong from that quarter on 28th.

Bealey.—Showery, with an occasional bright day; the maximum
rain recorded on 23rd, 1.93 in.; prevailing winds N. and N.W.,
and strong; gales on 9th, 10th, 22nd, and 28th from that
direction; thunderstorms on 1st and 26th, the latter severe.

Hokitika.—Showery weather, at times bright and pleasant;
prevailing westerly winds, and often strong; maximum rain recorded
on 4th, 2.85 in.; 2.45 in. also recorded on 23rd; thunder
on 18th and 19th; hail on 3rd; fog on 7th.

Dunedin.—Warm weather, but very showery; prevailing N.E.
winds, and moderate; maximum rain recorded on 11th, 850 in.;
thunder on 3rd and 5th; fog on 12th.

Queenstown.—Dark and sultry up to 9th, when thunder occurred,
after which weather variable; a severe thunderstorm on 13th
from 7 p.m. to 10.30 p.m., vivid lightning, wind S.E., and rain;
after this, more settled. Another severe thunderstorm on
22nd, and dark sultry weather set in and continued until
end of month; maximum rain recorded on 30th; prevailing S.W.
and N.W. winds; snow fell on 11th and 19th on hills.

Southland.—Showery, unpleasant throughout, with prevailing
S.W. winds, often strong; thunder on 1st, 2nd, 11th, 23rd, and
24th; greatest rain recorded on 10th, 72 in.; hail fell on
18th, 24th, and 25th.

GENERAL REMARKS.

Unsettled and showery generally, though at times fine bright
weather experienced. The rainfall at most of the stations in
excess of the average; low atmospheric pressure throughout, and the temperature low for time of year; occasional thunder-
storms; wind generally strong. Earthquakes reported by Observers—at Napier on 7th, slight, at 12.45 p.m.; and at Wanganui
on same date, at 11.30 p.m., slight.

J. HECTOR, Inspector.