620

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

ABSTRACT of METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, New Zealand, for the Month of FEBRUARY, 1878.

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

• Estimated, instrument broken during gale. †9 years. ‡3 years. § 11 years. || 5 years. ¶12 years.

NOTES FOR FEBRUARY, 1878.

Mongonui.—Very fine, small rainfall, the maximum 41 in. on 21st; strong easterly wind on 1st and 2nd, and gale on 20th from
N.W., damaging wind instrument; thunder on 6th; prevailing winds westerly.

Auckland.—Very cool weather, cloudy and showery, though total rain small, the maximum recorded on 14th, 59 in.; wind moderate
generally, and prevailed from S.W.; strong from S.E. on 7th, with slight thunder and rain, thunder also on 5th; also strong northerly
wind on 20th, with rain; fog on 14th.

Taranaki.—Fine generally; S.E. gale on 7th and N.W. on 21st, with rain, otherwise moderate and variable; maximum rain recorded on
14th, 75 in.

Napier.—Fine month; maximum rain registered on 14th, 43 in.; winds moderate and prevailed from N.E.; smart thunderstorm on
afternoon of 5th, with rain, wind easterly.

Wellington.—Fine up to evening of 5th, when wind changed from N.W. to S.E., and commenced raining, and continued showery up to
8th, cold for time of year; fine till 13th, although threatening on 12th, and strong N.W. wind; changed to S.E. on morning of 13th,
and heavy rain fell until night, 1·10 in. recorded on 14th; rain again on night of 15th from S.E.; fine from 16th to evening of 20th,
when wind changed from N.W. to S.E., and brought rain, barometer falling; continued wet on 21st from S.E., and cold, 1·30 in.
rain recorded on 22nd, maximum for month; from 22nd to end fine weather and some warm days; prevailing N.W. and S.E. winds.

Wanganui.—

Nelson.—Fine weather, with prevailing S.W. and N.W. winds, and moderate, except on 10th and 11th, when it blew hard from S.W.;
maximum rain recorded on 21st, 1·15 in., small total fall.

Cape Campbell.—Rather hazy weather generally; wind variable and often strong, six gales reported from S. and N.W.; maximum fall of
rain registered on 14th, 1·11 in.

Christchurch.—Very fine weather, at times sultry; a storm occurred on 5th, with rain from S.W. of short duration; very small rainfall,
the maximum recorded on 6th, 33 in.; prevailing winds N.E. and S.W., and moderate.

Bealey.—Fine weather, only eight days of rain, the maximum fall recorded on 13th, 1·260 in.; gales from 9th to 12th, N.W. and S.W.;
thunder on 4th; hail on 15th; fog on four days; prevailing northerly wind.

Hokitika.—Generally fine, with small total rain for this station; the maximum fall recorded on 13th, 3·14 in.; prevailing S.W. and W.
winds, and moderate; fog on 28th.

Dunedin.—Fine and dry, except on 6th, when 1·1 in. rain fell; strong S.W. wind on 17th and 18th, and cold, otherwise winds moderate
and prevailing from S.W.; fog on 15th.

Queenstown.—Fine dry weather, with prevailing N.W. and S.W. winds; stormy on 15th from latter quarter, and on night of 24th strong
N.W. wind; snow fell on 5th; fog on 21st and 28th; maximum rain recorded on 25th, 25 in.

Southland.—First half cold and stormy from S.W., and slight showers; the maximum rainfall recorded on 9th and 13th, 28 in.; latter
half of month bright and pleasant generally; high winds during greater part, especially on 11th from S.W., and 25th from W.

GENERAL REMARKS.

Fine weather generally throughout, with small rainfall at most places; strong winds were experienced at some of the stations, but
no very violent gales; high barometer readings prevailed, but temperature below the average; earthquake reported by Observer at
Queenstown on 12th, at 3 a.m., slight.

J. HECTOR, Inspector.