New Zealand Gazette – 1915 – No. 59

Page 1658

✨ Meteorological Observations

Government Meteorological Observatory.

METEOROLOGICAL Observations, Wellington, for
the Month of March, 1915. Observations taken
9 a.m.
Altitude of Observatory, 8 ft.

Date.	Barometer reduced in and corrected to Lat. 45°.	Max. Temp. in Shade.	Min. Temp. in Shade.	Mean Temp. in Shade.	Solar Radiation.	Terrestrial Radiation.	Veloc. Wind in Miles.	Amount of Cloud, 0 to 10.	Direction of Wind.	Rainfall, in Points (100 to 1 Inch).
	Fah.	Fah.	Fah.	Fah.	Fah.	Fah.
1	29·889	64·2	54·4	59·3	124·6	52·0	296	8	S.	1
2	29·979	57·8	52·2	55·0	103·4	50·2	318	8	S.	1
[ ... ]
31	29·999	63·0	47·2	55·1	116·6	35·4	277	4	N.	.

Means, &c. + Means previous years.

DIRECTION OF WIND.
N. N.E. E. S.E. S. S.W. W. N.W. Calm.
9 1 2 .. 13 .. .. 3 3

Note.—The weather during the month has been cloudy,
overcast, and unsettled, with the rainfall well above the
mean of previous years. Total bright sunshine, 136 hours
51 minutes, and seven sunless days. One frost was re-
corded on the grass. The mean earth-temperature at 1 ft.
was 60·4°, and 61·8° at 3 ft. Mean dew-point, 50·9°; mean
elastic force of vapour, 0·373 in.; and mean relative
humidity, 81 per cent. of saturation.

SUMMARY FOR MARCH, 1915.
The month of March was rather an unsettled one, especially in the North Island, where, in consequence, most places
reported a total rainfall considerably above the average. In the South Island, although dull and threatening conditions
were frequent, days with heavy rain were not so numerous, and the total was generally below the mean. The west coast
portion showed the greater deficiency, as there fine weather was the predominating feature.
On the 4th good general rains accompanied a depression of a cyclonic type, the central region of which travelled across
the South Island.
During the night of the 10th a small secondary “ low ” passing through Cook Strait accounted for heavy rain in the Wai-
rarapa, Wellington, and Marlborough districts.
From the 18th to the 25th a persistent low-pressure area held sway northwards of the Dominion, and continuous unsettled
and at times stormy conditions prevailed in the North Island and in the north-east portion of the South. Easterly to south-
easterly winds prevailed, and considerable rain fell during this period. Many stations in the northern districts recorded over
2 inches on both the 19th and 20th. The observer at Waihi, for the six days 17th to 22nd, measured 17·44 inches, 7·18 inches
falling on the 18th.
Between the 27th and 31st a reversal of atmospheric conditions to the above was experienced, the “ low ” being to the
southwards and bringing strong westerly winds generally, and rain in the west coast and southern districts of the South Island.
During the month two intense storms prevailed in higher latitudes—viz., between the 6th and 11th, and (as above men-
tioned) from the 27th to the end of the month, and both were responsible for strong westerly winds.