JUNE 28.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2131

Government Meteorological Observatory.

METEOROLOGICAL Observations at Kelburn, Wellington, for the month of March, 1928. Observations taken at 9 a.m.

Altitude of Observatory, 415 ft.

Mean earth temperature at 1 ft., 63·7°; and at 3 ft., 63·6°. Number of rain days, 9.

DIRECTION OF WIND.

Gale (force 8 or more). | Forces 4 to 7. | Calm. | N. | N.E. | E. | S.E. | S. | S.W. | W. | N.W.
.. | 11 | 3 | 3 | 2½ | 3½ | 9 | 3½ | .. | .. | 6½

NOTE.—A bright sunny month, with moderate to strong south-easterly winds prevailing. Precipitation at Karori Reservoir, near Kelburn, was 39 per cent. below the average. Total bright sunshine, 192·9 hours (50 per cent. of the possible), and two sunless days. Lightning was seen on the 8th and 13th, and thunder was heard on the 8th. Mean dew-point at 9 a.m., 56°; and mean vapour pressure, 0·448 in.

SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH, 1928.

The drought which commenced on about the 20th December, and from which only partial relief was experienced in February, continued in most districts throughout March. Unfortunately, too, it has been most severe in those parts which had suffered most in previous months—namely, Nelson, Taranaki, and the western portions of the Wellington Province. Over the greater part of the Auckland Peninsula and in Hawke’s Bay falls were above normal. In Canterbury and Otago, also, there were some cases in which the average was exceeded, and, in general, the deficiencies were not very serious in those provinces. Temperatures were, on the whole, mild.

The relative absence of westerly winds is still a characteristic of the season, while, on the other hand, the rate at which pressure systems move from the westward has remained rapid. The zone of prevailing westerlies appears, however, to be gradually pushing its way northward over the southern portions of the Dominion. The westerly type of weather ruled, indeed, from the 23rd to the 28th, but pressure was high to the north of the Dominion, and the westerly rains practically did not extend north of Westland.

There were only two storms of any importance during the month. A cyclone of considerable intensity appeared north of the Dominion on the 5th and, moving southwards, was centred near Auckland on the afternoon of the 6th. A secondary developed west of Kawhia during the 7th, and did not finally disappear till the 9th. Strong winds, mainly from a south-easterly direction, were experienced northwards of Cook Strait during the 5th and 6th, gale force being reached in places. Widespread rains fell in connection with this storm, but the western districts south of Auckland benefited little. There were some heavy falls northward of Castlepoint, but more especially in north Auckland. A cyclone of the same type was evidently centred to the north-east on the 14th–16th, causing fresh south-easterlies and rain north of Auckland and Castlepoint. Its centre, however, never approached very near to the Dominion.

The second of the storms referred to was a cyclone which moved rapidly during the 25th to 26th past the south end of the Dominion. Strong westerly winds reaching gale force at times in the Cook Strait region and Southern Otago blew on the 26th and 27th, while there was a strong westerly gale at Chatham Island on the 28th. The rains were again fairly widespread, but beneficial chiefly to southern portions of the South Island.

A somewhat similar depression passed on the 30th, but this time its centre was farther south, and Southern Otago was the only district greatly affected.

Apart from the storms mentioned, depressions were mainly slight waves and the rain of a local nature. Waves passed on the 4th, 10th, 15th, 23rd, and 24th.

Anticyclone centres crossed some part of New Zealand on the 3rd, 14th, 17th, 29th, and 31st. That of the 17th was intense, and was almost stationary east of Otago until the 21st, when it decreased in intensity, disappearing finally on the 22nd.

The dairying industry has suffered considerably in some parts owing to the effects of the drought, and the scarcity of water has been a difficulty in Nelson. Otherwise, the ill-effects do not appear to have been serious. Even in Nelson apple and tobacco crops are exceptionally good. The mild conditions, with lack of drying winds, have been favourable offsets to the lack of rain.

EDWARD KIDSON, Director.