FEB. 9.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 371

Government Meteorological Observatory.

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

• Means, &c. † Means previous years.

DIRECTION OF WIND.

NOTE.—A cold, changeable, and unsettled month, with moderate to strong northerly and north-westerly winds prevailing. Precipitation was approximately double the normal for the Thorndon Station. Total bright sunshine, 152 hours 49 minutes (35 per cent. of the possible), and five sunless days. Ground frosts were recorded on three mornings. Mean earth temperature at both 1 ft. and 3 ft. was 57.7°. Mean dew-point, 47.4°; mean vapour pressure, 0.328 in.; and mean relative humidity, 74 per cent.

SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, 1927.

November is usually a month of rapid air movement and quick changes in the weather, but this year it was exceptionally so. It was remarkable, also, for the number of occasions on which cyclones or centres of low pressure passed either over or in close proximity to New Zealand. At the same time depressions of a westerly type were also fairly numerous. In this latter type no low-pressure centre appears on the area covered by our weather charts, but the pressure is low over wide areas to the southward, and westerly winds prevail. The fluctuations of pressure are then relatively slight and, except on the west coast of the South Island and in southern Otago, rainfall is generally light.

The most general rains during the month—namely, those of the 1st, 5th, and 28th—were associated with cyclonic depressions whose centres passed over the North Island. The last of these was the most severe. Its centre was located off the New South Wales coast on the 26th November, and by the morning of the 28th had reached the east coast of New Zealand, just south of Napier. Southerly gales were experienced on the 28th and 29th in east coast districts between East Cape and Lyttelton, and in the central provinces, and very low temperatures prevailed. In many places the gale was the worst experienced for many years, and cold and wind combined caused much damage to vegetation. There was also some loss of shorn sheep.

On the morning of the 24th an intense cyclone was centred off the south coast of New South Wales. During the next twenty-four hours it moved with extraordinary rapidity, so that by the next morning it was centred about Foveaux Strait. It affected chiefly districts south of New Plymouth and Castlepoint, strong north-westerly winds prevailing. Heavy rain fell in parts of the western districts.

The westerly type of weather prevailed from the 7th to the 13th and from the 17th to the 22nd.

The rainfall for the month exceeded the normal in all parts of the South Island except central and south-western Otago. In the North Island it was above normal southward of Raglan and Napier, but below it in the Auckland Peninsula and the Bay of Plenty and Gisborne districts.

On the whole the month was a dull and wet one, with temperatures considerably below the November mean. In consequence the growth of crops, pasture, &c., was checked. Shearing also was delayed in some districts.

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE.
MEANS AND TOTALS FROM CHIEF STATIONS.
November, 1927.

LATE RETURNS.

EDWARD KIDSON, Director.