Dec. 22.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 3739

Government Meteorological Observatory.

METEOROLOGICAL Observations, Wellington, for the month of October, 1927. Observations taken 9 a.m.
Altitude of Observatory, 10 ft.

*Means, &c. †Means previous years.

DIRECTION OF WIND.

N. N.E. E. S.E. S. S.W. W. N.W. Calm
10 | 2 | .. | .. | 4 | .. | .. | 14 | 1

NOTE.—A dry and sunny month, with moderate to strong N. and N.W. winds prevailing. Precipitation was 54 per cent. below the mean of previous years. Total bright sunshine, 208 hours 51 minutes, 51 per cent. of the possible. There was one sunless day. Hail fell on the 24th and frost was recorded on the grass on two mornings. Mean earth temperature at 1 ft. was 56·6°, and at 3 ft. 56°. Mean dew-point, 45·9°; mean vapour pressure, 0·309 in.; and mean relative humidity, 70 per cent.

SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, 1927.

During October rainfall was, as a rule, poorly distributed in time and place, and the 14th and 23rd were the only days on which it was at all of a general character. The total for the month was considerably below normal over the whole of the North Island, and in the Marlborough and Nelson Provinces in the South Island. Canterbury and Otago had a moderate excess, while in Westland the differences from normal were slight.

The pressure distribution was chiefly of the westerly type, and the disturbances of slight to moderate intensity. The changes were generally too rapid to allow of rain developing to any extent. On the 23rd, however, a very intense cyclone developed east of the South Island, and on the 24th the Chatham Island barometer fell to 29·07 inches. From the 23rd to 25th strong southerly winds to gales were experienced, and very cold temperatures prevailed in the rear of this cyclone. Light falls of snow occurred on the 23rd and 24th in various parts of the South Island and also in the high central area of the North Island. Ground frosts were reported on the mornings of the 25th and 26th, more especially in Canterbury and Otago, but the damage to fruit-trees was, fortunately, only slight.

There was a tendency for anticyclones to move in more northern latitudes, but one, which controlled the weather between the 25th and the 29th, was centred over New Zealand on the 27th, with pressure as high as 30·50 inches.

On the whole, fair to fine weather predominated, with moderate to strong north-westerly winds. The cold spell from 23rd to 25th was, however, severe, especially in Canterbury and Otago, and some losses of lambs occurred. Though dry, the month was a good spring month. It was particularly favourable for sheep, but less so, owing to the dryness, for the dairy industry.

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE.

MEANS AND TOTALS FROM CHIEF STATIONS.

October, 1927.

SOUTH ISLAND.

| 11 | TAKAKA, NELSON .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| | J. H. Scott | | | | | |
| 34 | NELSON .. .. | 53·0 | 62·0 | 44·0 | 107 | 6 |
| | O. B. Pemberton.. | | | | | |
| .. | BALMORAL, CULVERDEN D. D. Dunn | 52·0 | 64·8 | 39·3 | 222 | 9 |
| 1220 | HANMER SPRINGS .. | 51·8 | 62·2 | 41·5 | 336 | 10 |
| | W. Montgomery | | | | | |
| 25 | CHRISTCHURCH .. | 53·2 | 62·5 | 43·8 | 275 | 9 |
| | H. F. Skey | | | | | |
| 42 | LINCOLN .. .. | 52·8 | 62·6 | 43·1 | 197 | 10 |
| | D. J. Sidey | | | | | |
| 1220 | LAKE COLERIDGE .. | 59·5 | 75·7 | 43·3 | 463 | 11 |
| | E. T. Cockburn | | | | | |
| 323 | ASHBURTON .. .. | 52·1 | 61·9 | 42·3 | 317 | 13 |
| | H. P. Clayton | | | | | |
| 1000 | FAIRLIE .. .. | 50·4 | 60·8 | 40·0 | 279 | 7 |
| | R. J. Rainey | | | | | |
| 2350 | LAKE TEKAPO .. | 48·0 | 53·3 | 37·6 | 123 | 5 |
| | R. R. Beauchamp | | | | | |
| 130 | TIMARU .. .. | 52·4 | 61·6 | 43·3 | 235 | 11 |
| | Caretaker of Domain | | | | | |
| 200 | WAIMATE .. .. | 51·9 | 60·9 | 42·9 | 294 | 13 |
| | F. Akhurst | | | | | |
| 1550 | SANATORIUM, WAIPIATA Dr. A. Kidd | 48·6 | 58·4 | 38·9 | 140 | 14 |
| 1000 | OPHIR .. .. | 51·0 | 61·6 | 40·5 | 104 | 8 |
| | Rev. A. Don | | | | | |
| 300 | DUNEDIN .. .. | 50·7 | 58·8 | 42·6 | 501 | 19 |
| | D. Tannock | | | | | |
| 142 | BURNSIDE, DUNEDIN P. W. Piper | 52·3 | 59·7 | 45·0 | 403 | 17 |
| 245 | GORE .. .. | 49·9 | 59·4 | 40·4 | 392 | 20 |
| | A. T. Newman | | | | | |
| 12 | HOKITIKA .. .. | 51·2 | 57·4 | 45·0 | 1,264 | 23 |
| | J. A. Chesney | | | | | |
| 12 | INVERCARGILL .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| | L. Lennie | | | | | |

EDWARD KIDSON, Director.