2478
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 63

Government Meteorological Observatory.

METEOROLOGICAL Observations at Kelburn, Wellington, for the Month of June, 1928. Observations taken at 9 a.m.
Altitude of Observatory, 415 ft.

Mean earth temperature at 1 ft. 49·6°; and at 3 ft. 52·6°. Number of rain days, 17.

DIRECTION OF WIND.

NOTE.—A wet, cold, and gloomy month, with moderate to strong southerly to south-easterly winds prevailing. Rainfall at Karori Reservoir, near Kelburn, was 22 per cent. above the mean. Total bright sunshine, 80·6 hours, 29 per cent. of the possible, and seven sunless days. Frost was recorded on the grass on two mornings, and hail fell on the 22nd and 29th. Thunder and lightning occurred on the 1st, and fog was in evidence on three mornings. Mean dew-point at 9 a.m., 42·6°; and mean vapour pressure, 0·272 in.

SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE, 1928.

June was a wintry month, with a marked predominance of cold south-west or southerly winds. Temperatures were below normal in many parts; but, except in the southern portions of the South Island, frosts were not particularly numerous or severe. The majority of the strong winds blew along the length of the Island, with intermittent shiftings to a more southerly or south-easterly direction. Their force was, therefore, felt mainly in the northern and southern extremities of the Dominion and in the surrounding ocean waters, with occasional visitations on parts of the East Coast. The parts exposed to the winds received more than their usual quota of rainfall for the month. The Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Taranaki, Wanganui, Marlborough, Nelson, and Westland districts, and the interior of the South Island, however, had less than the average, the deficiency amounting to as much as 70 per cent. in some cases. Nelson and Taranaki experienced particularly fine weather.

The storms which occurred during the month were mainly of the cyclonic variety, four principal ones being recorded. Westerly winds were again conspicuous by their absence. The cyclone centres all passed north of Cook Strait. Three of them were responsible for stormy conditions over the whole of the Dominion. Of these the first passed Cape Maria Van Diemen on the 10th and subsequently moved in a south-south-east direction past the Chatham Islands. Southerly gales and general rains were experienced on the 11th and 12th. During the approach of the storm between the 7th and 9th pressure was high to the east of New Zealand.

On the 14th and 15th, while a moderate anticyclone was covering New Zealand, an intense cyclone developed off the coast of New South Wales. Moving slowly eastward, the centre passed through Cook Strait on the 18th. From the 15th to the 21st the weather was almost continuously dull and unsettled, with more or less rain. On the 18th the rain was general, and there were fairly widespread falls of snow in the South Island and the central parts of the North Island. North-easterly gales blew in the north on the 15th and 16th, and fairly general southerly gales from the 18th to the 21st. On the 21st there were again extensive falls of snow, while hail was reported in many places.

The last cyclone appeared between Cape Maria Van Diemen and Norfolk Island on the 26th, causing northerly gales in North Auckland. Moving south-eastwards and intensifying, this disturbance caused strong south-westerly winds to gales and much rain in the last three days of the month. There was a lull, however, on the night of the 28th during the development of a secondary depression. This was followed on the 29th by the third fall of snow for the month in parts of Canterbury and Otago, some of it even reaching the Plain country. Hail, also, was experienced at some stations.

The Auckland Province suffered worst from this storm, the northern portion experiencing north-easterly gales during its approach while westerly and southerly gales were more general in its rear. Considerable damage was done, also, by the southerlies in the South Island, especially Southland.

The cold weather during the month retarded the growth of vegetation, but there is no shortage of feed for stock.

EDWARD KIDSON, Director.