THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
269

ABSTRACT of METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, New Zealand, for the Month of OCTOBER, 1877.

BAROMETER.
Corrected and
Reduced to Sea
Level.
TEMPERATURE FROM SELF-REGISTERING INSTRUMENTS,
READ IN MORNING FOR TWENTY-FOUR HOURS
PREVIOUSLY.
COMPUTED
FROM
RAIN.
OBSERVATIONS.
WIND.
CLOUD.
STATIONS.
Mean
Extr'me
Reading Range.
In Shade.
Extremes.
Mean
Daily
Temp. Range.
Max.
Temp.
Min.
Temp.
Range.
Max.
Temp.
in Sun's
Rays.
Min.
Temp.
on
Grass.
Mean
Elastic
Force
of
Vapour.
Mean
Deg. of
Moist.
(Satu-
ration
100.)
Total
Fall
(inches)
No. of
Days
Rain
fell.
Average
Daily
Force
in Miles
for
Month.
Maximum
Velocity
and Date.
Mean
Amount
(0 to 10)

MONGONUI 30-042 470 61.5 14.6 74.0 43.0 31.0 149.0 .410 77 4.010 11 219 382, 8th 6.4
Previous 11 years 29.971 58.7 .399 78 3.562 14 7.2
AUCKLAND 30-027 598 57.6 13.0 70.4 43.2 27.2 144.8 37.0 .382 80 2.000 21 257 580,27th 7.7
Previous 13 years 29-928 57.7 .374 78 3.339 17 5-628
TARANAKI 29-995 610 54.5 14.6 69.0 37.0 32.0 127.0 33.0 .358 84 4.460 19 279 611,30th 3.0
Previous 13 years 29-897 55.2 .336 73 5.628 18
WELLINGTON 29-987 872 54.7 14.0 67.0 38.0 29.0 134.0 32.0 .355 70 1.915 8 280 630, 31st 5.3
Previous 13 years 29.833 53.9 .335 78 1.913 13
.313 74 4.750 14
WANGANUI 29.992 53.6
Previous 5 years
NELSON 29-821 780 54.5 20.7 72.0 35.0 37.0 135.0 .306 74 3.847 11 210 353,27th 4.6
Previous 13 years 29.858 54.7 .317 75 2.200 8 4.725 9
CAPE CAMPBELL 29-980 770 56.2 11.7 74.0 42.7 31.3 .365 81 060 1 548 966, 26th 6.0
Previous 3 years 29-890 55.9 .322 72 625 7
CHRISTCHURCH 29-810 1074 53.2 22.2 76.3 29.0 47.3 141.3 16.6 .271 67 430 5 177 325, 15th 5.7
Previous 13 years 29-776 53.0 .308 73 1.880 10
BEALEY 29-626 946 47.1 17.9 72.0 28.0 44.0 126.0 18.5 .188 58 11.860 16 257 445, 7th 4.5
Previous 9 years 29-736 46.2 .249 80 10.742 17 156 497, 31st 7.0
HOKITIKA 29.921 705 51.6 11.8 61.1 37.3 23.8 145.0 32.5 .324 85 12.830 22
Previous 11 years 29.895 51.8 .341 86 11.424 19
DUNEDIN 29-578 963 49.5 17.7 69.0 32.0 37.0 116.0 28.0 .273 76 2.300 11 223 650,27th 6.0
Previous 12 years 29-737 50.5 .267 71 2.420 15
*QUEENSTOWN 30.020 940 50.6 20.2 76.9 31.3 45.6 .209 57 3.050 13 103 173, 8th 5.1
Previous 5 years 29-816 52.4 .223 63 2.445 13
SOUTHLAND 29.710 990 49.5 17.0 73.0 32.0 41.0 129.0 .258 72 5.320 23 283 571, 27th 8.0
Previous 12 years 29-701 49.9 .258 72 3.913 18

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

NOTES FOR OCTOBER, 1877.

Mongonui.—Heavy rain early part, wind easterly, 1.52 in. rain recorded on 7th, the maximum for month; after this generally fine from
S.W., from which quarter wind prevailed, often strong; thunder on 8th.

Auckland.—Showery weather generally, but total rain small, the maximum fail 465 in. on 8th; wind prevailed from W. and S.W., and
strong towards close of month; thunder on 5th; hail on 24th.

Taranaki.—Unsettled weather, dull at beginning, wet and windy from middle to end of month; prevailing S.W. and N.W. winds, fre-
quently strong, amounting to a gale on 13th, S.E., and 21st from N.W.; thunder on 29th; fogs on 20th, 29th, 30th, and 31st, that on
30th very dense; maximum rain recorded on 17th, 87 in.

Napier.—Very dry month, the maximum rainfall recorded on 8th, 14 in.; wind until 26th moderate from eastward, after which very
strong, ranging from N.W. to S.W.

Wellington.—Slight rainfall for time of year, the maximum recorded on 22nd, 45 in. Twenty-three days of N.W. wind, and generally
strong, especially on 16th, 18th, 20th, 25th, 28th, 29th, and 30th, increasing to gales during nights; very violent on night of 30th with
rain; on 12th, strong wind from S.E.; on 22nd, lightning to S., wind N.W., then changed to S.E.

Wanganui.—

Nelson.—Showery, first few days N.E., 84 in. rain recorded on 2nd, the maximum for month, otherwise fine weather; strong N.W. and
S.W. winds prevailed; thunder on 31st.

Cape Campbell.—Very dry weather throughout, only one day of rain; almost daily gales from W. and N.W.

Christchurch.—Remarkably fine until 10th, when it was stormy, with rain from S.W.; fine from 11th to 21st, when it blew hard from
N.W. and S.W.; rain on 22nd, and snow on Port hills 23rd; remainder of month fine, but very dry; hailstorm at Ashburton on the
26th; maximum rain recorded on 10th, 19 in.; prevailing winds N.E. and S.W.

Bealey.—Fine weather, with a few showers up to 15th, wind easterly; remainder of month very wet and unpleasant, wind chiefly N.W.
and often strong; greatest rain recorded on 21st, 3-620 in.; thunder on 20th and 30th; snow on 10th and 27th; prevailing winds
N., N.E., and N. W., and very strong throughout the month.

Hokitika.—Wet unpleasant weather, with frequently strong winds prevailing from S.W.; very severe gale on 21st from that quarter with
hail, doing damage; waterspouts observed at sea; thunder on 20th, 30th, and 31st; nine days of hail; maximum rain recorded on
21st, 2.20 in.

Dunedin.—Very dry until 21st when heavy rain fell, 1.10 in. recorded, the maximum for month; fine again towards end of month; gale
on 12th and 27th from S.W., prevailing S.W. wind; snow on 21st; hail on 31st; fog on 6th and 15th.

Queenstown.—First part generally fine, frequently calm; on 16th appeared threatening from southward, and commenced bad weather,
which continued to end of month; the maximum rainfall recorded on 21st, 94 in.; seven days of snow and two of fog; wind
during latter part at times very squally, chiefly N.W.

Southland.—A wet, cold, windy month, with prevailing S.W. and westerly winds, and strong on 8th, 20th, 26th and 27th; thunder on
26th, 27th, and 31st; snow on 23rd, 26th, and 27th; hail fell on six days; maximum rain recorded on 24th, 63 in.

GENERAL REMARKS.

Generally fine and dry early part of month, but during latter half at most of the stations wet unpleasant weather was experienced,
with much snow and thunder, and some strong S.W. gales. Earthquakes at Napier on 25th, at 8.40 p.m., smart; at Wellington on 10th,
slight shock at 8.53 p.m.; at Timaru and Waimate on 10th, at night; at Dunedin on 9th, shock reported.

J. HECTOR, Inspector.