THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
1095

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

BAROMETER.
Corrected and
Reduced to Sea
Level.

TEMPERATURE FROM SELF-REGISTERING INSTRUMENTS,
READ IN MORNING FOR TWENTY-FOUR HOURS
PREVIOUSLY.

In Shade.

Extremes.

COMPUTED
FROM
OBSBBVATIONS.

RAIN.

WIND.

CLOUD.

STATIONS.

Mean
Reading

Extr'me
Range.

Mean
Temp.

Mean
Daily
Range.

Max.
Temp.

Min.
Temp.

Range.

Max.
Temp.
in Sun's
Rays.

Mean
Elastic
Force
of
Vapour.

Deg. of
Moist.
(Satu-
ratio)

Total
Fall
(inches)

No. of
Days
on
which
Rain
fell.

Average
Daily
Force
Month.

Maximum
Velocity
in Miles
and Date.

Mean
Amount
for
Month
(0 to 10)

MONGONUI
30.035 .561 63.3 18.0 80.0 44.0 36.0 142.0 474 82 3.150 10 74 190,13th 4.5
Previous 10 years 30.085 63.5 .475 78 5.505 11

AUCKLAND
30.037 .727 62.2 15.4 78.0 42.6 35.4 136.6 31.4 411 74 1.315 15 255 462, 15th 7.1
Previous 14 years 30.033 61.9 .441 78 3.222 13

TARANAKI
30.016 .770 59.4 14.0 75.0 40.0 35.0 135.0 40.0 .398 79 2.690 13 231 380, 30th 6.3
Previous 14 years 30.050 59.6 .387 72 3.120 11

NAPIER
29.935 1.035 62.6 15.5 84.0 44.0 40.0 138.0 38.0 373 66 3.50 4 263 447,24th 3.0
Previous 11 years 30.044 58.5 .389 75 2.565 8

*WANGANUI
30.020 1.000 56.6 19.6 74.0 35.0 39.0 140.0 30.0 307 67 .990 8 300 530, 5th 5.0
Previous 6 years 30.077 57.3 .338 72 1.397 7

WELLINGTON
29.907 1.181 58.8 13.1 73.3 45.0 28.3 127.0 35.0 404 81 1.691 11 270 560, 3rd 5.4
Previous 14 years 30.027 57.1 .355 75 3.808 12

NELSON
29.867 .703 56.4 26.8 75.0 37.0 38.0 130.0 354 78 1.490 4 178 326, 29th 3.4
Previous 14 years 29.995 57.1 .365 72 3.771 6

CAPE CAMPBELL
29.976 1.060 59.3 9.8 73.4 48.7 247 76 .080 1 225 909, 13th 4.6
Previous 4 years 30.170 60.5 .372 70 .690 5

CHRISTCHURCH
29.799 1.390 56.9 22.3 82.3 29.8 52.5 140.0 19.9 285 62 3.50 6 158 364, 4th 5.1
Previous 14 years 30.010 53.7 .342 79 2.178 8

*BEALEY
29.658 1.215 49.4 11.3 67.0 32.2 34.8 129.0 25.0 231 65 7.220 16 330 505, 18th 5.4
Previous 10 years 29.907 48.6 .280 82 6.876 13

HOKITIKA
29.938 1.148 54.6 10.6 66.5 40.2 26.3 127.8 38.0 378 88 11.320 23 116 260, 23rd 8.0
Previous 12 years 30.043 54.6 .379 86 7.782 14

DUNEDIN
29.675 1.541 52.5 14.8 70.0 37.0 33.0 103.0 30.0 271 69 1.776 11 136 525, 15th 5.0
Previous 14 years 29.977 52.0 .294 76 2.306 13

*QUEENSTOWN
29.785 1.210 53.2 15.6 70.4 34.9 35.5 257 64 3.220 11 97 153, 15th 6.3
Previous 6 years 29.990 52.0 .264 68 2.182 7

SOUTHLAND
29.710 1.420 50.0 17.0 73.0 29.0 44.0 121.0 309 86 4.630 21 214 380, 15th 8.0
Previous 13 years 29.960 51.1 .289 77 3.386 13

The stations marked thus * are furnished with aneroid barometers only.

NOTE.-Altitude of Bealey, 2,104 feet; Queenstown, 1,070 feet.

NOTES FOR APRIL, 1878.

Mongonui.—Fine weather generally, showery during middle and a few days towards end of month; the maximum rain recorded on 13th,
1.40 in.; strong wind on 13th, S.W., with thunder and rain; thunder also on 14th and 25th; fog on 3rd, 5th, and 23rd; prevailing
westerly winds and light.

Auckland.—Generally fine and dry, but dull, warmer than usual; rainfall small, and chiefly light showers at nights; maximum rainfall
recorded on 25th, 37 in.; wind very moderate, often calm, and prevailed from westward; fog on 21st.

Taranaki.—On the whole fine, though showery towards end of month; maximum rainfall registered on 24th, 184 in; winds prevailed
from S.W.; strong from N.W. on 30th.

Napier.—Remarkably fine throughout; maximum rainfall on 9th, 22 in.; wind prevailed from southward and rather strong; on 15th
strong breeze from East, and on 27th from S.W.; fog on 8th.

Wanganui.—Generally fine weather, with a few showers; the maximum rainfall recorded on 24th, 34 in.; prevailing N.W. winds, and
often strong; strong from N.W. on 5th and 14th, and from S.W. on 15th and 19th.

Wellington.—Very stormy up to 3rd from N.W.; fine pleasant weather from 4th to 20th, with moderate winds; threatening on 21st and
22nd from N.E., and slight rain; wet and squally from N.W. on 23rd. 70 inches rain recorded on 24th, maximum for month; fine
from 25th to 28th; stormy and unpleasant on 29th and 30th, with rain; wind changing from N.W. to S.E. during night of 30th;
very slight rainfall for time of year, though degree of moisture for month high; prevailing N.W. wind.

Nelson.—Very fine, only a few showery days at end of month, the maximum fall on 24th, 63 in.; prevailing S.W. winds, strong on 18th,
19th, 20th, and 29th.

Cape Campbell.— Strong W. and N.W. gales almost constant up to 25th; on 30th N.W. gale; only one day of rain, on 17th, 08 in.;
heavy dews at nights.

Christchurch.—Fine and dry weather; greatest rain recorded on 17th, 21 in.; on 3rd and 4th strong N.W. wind with dust clouds,
unusual for time of year; on 9th storm threatened from S.W., but passed away to sea; winds generally westerly and moderate.

Bealey.—Dull, gloomy, wet, and unpleasant month, with an occasional fine day; greatest rainfall recorded on 30th, 2.130 in.; thunder on
26th; fog on 9th, 10th, and 17th; gales on ten days; prevailing N. and N.W. winds, and strong throughout.

Hokitika.—Very wet unpleasant weather, but moderate winds prevailing from S.W. and N.W.; maximum rain recorded on 30th, 238 in.;
thunder on 26th; hail on 26th; fog on 1st and 2nd.

Dunedin.—Fine at beginning, but changeable towards latter part of month; small rainfall, the maximum on 30th, 442 in.; prevailing
S.W. wind, but moderate, except on 15th, when it was stormy from that quarter; frequent calms; fog on 22nd and 30th.

Queenstown.—Unsettled generally; often dull and threatening, but clearing off; prevailing westerly wind; stormy on 1st, N.W., and a
gale on 14th from same quarter; maximum rain recorded on 30th, 1.42 in.; snow on hills on 3rd; fog on 11th and 30th.

Southland.—Wet dull weather; maximum rain recorded on 21st, 1.15 in.; wind chiefly from westward, and frequently strong; hail on
15th and 17th.

GENERAL REMARKS.

The weather was exceedingly fine during this period, except at Bealey, where the rain was in excess, with strong westerly winds;
also at Hokitika very wet, but winds moderate; and in the extreme South the rain was over the average, with cold stormy
westerly weather. Earthquakes occurred at Wanganui on the 4th, at 12.50 midnight; at Wellington on 28th, at 6.25 p.m., lasting 6
seconds, N. and S., very slight; at Cape Campbell on 11th, at 9 a.m., smart; and Blenheim, 11th, at 8.55 a.m., sharp, N. to E.; at
Queenstown on the 25th, at 3.30 a.m., smart. A meteor was observed at Christchurch on 27th, in S.E.

J. HECTOR, Inspector.