Sept. 24.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2861

Pressure Systems.—The month opened with a spell of comparatively fine weather during which pressure was high to the north, while several westerly depressions of slight intensity passed in the south. On the 8th, however, a cyclone which had been developing during the preceding two days on the coast of New South Wales, moved from the west towards the centre of the North Island. The centre passed during the night, but secondary centres developed behind it, the last not crossing the North Island until the 10th. During these three days rain was fairly general. The North Island, and especially the Central Provinces, experienced very heavy falls. Many rivers in Nelson, Marlborough, and Wellington reached flood levels, but the rain was not sufficiently intense at any time to cause serious damage. There was heavy snow on the high levels in the South Island, train traffic being interfered with at Arthur’s Pass.

A second but shallower cyclone which crossed the South Island on the 14th brought rain again to much the same districts. This was followed by a rather vigorous depression of the westerly type on the 16th. After the main depression had passed, a severe spell of weather set in. Though barometers were high far to the west, they continued to fluctuate about very low values in southern New Zealand. The wind chopped and changed between west and south-west. Snow fell on all the high levels and, in the South Island, was almost general. Many places had the heaviest fall on the 19th to 20th for the past thirty to fifty years. Severe hailstorms also were experienced. The hail and snowstorms were preceded on the night of the 18th by a very violent and unusually widespread westerly gale. It was not until the 21st that conditions began to improve, and even on that day some of the central districts of the North Island had snow.

Between the 23rd and the 25th a cyclone, which became very deep, crossed North Auckland in the neighbourhood of Russell, and moved in an east-south-east direction. Its passage was accompanied by rain which, however, failed to reach the southern and western portions of the South Island. In the North there were some heavy falls. North-easterly gales blew from Auckland northwards as the cyclone approached, while in its rear there were southerly gales.

From the 27th to the end of the month occurred a similar spell of weather to that between the 16th and 21st. Following a series of westerly depressions, pressure again became high to the west and north-west while fluctuating about very low levels to the south and south-east. South-westerly gales blew continuously in the eastern portion of the Tasman Sea for several days from the 30th onwards, rising to unusual violence. Districts with a westerly aspect experienced persistent rain. Snow again fell on the high levels for several days consecutively, but the low levels were little affected.

EDWARD KIDSON, Director.

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE.
MEANS AND TOTALS FROM CHIEF STATIONS.
July, 1931.

LATE RETURNS.

| 131 | RUA KURA FARM— April, 1931 .. May, 1931 .. June, 1931 .. | .. | 57·8 | 68·2 | 47·4 | 489 | 11 |
| | | .. | 49·6 | 60·6 | 38·5 | 208 | 8 |
| | | .. | 46·4 | 56·6 | 36·3 | 472 | 18 |