1302

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 35

Government Meteorological Observatory.

METEOROLOGICAL Observations at Kelburn, Wellington, for the Month of March, 1932. Observations taken at 9 a.m.

Altitude of Observatory, 415 ft.

Mean earth temperature at 1 ft., 62·7°; and at 3 ft., 62·2°. Number of rain days, 5.

DIRECTION OF WIND.

NOTE—A fine dry autumn month, with light south and south-easterly winds prevailing. Precipitation, which was 89 per cent. below the mean, was the lowest recorded for March since 1911. Total bright sunshine, 191·7 hours, 50 per cent. of the possible, and one sunless day. Lightning was seen on the 10th. Mean dew-point at 9 hrs., 51·8°; and mean vapour pressure, 0·384 in.

SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH, 1932.

General.—March was remarkable for the very dry weather experienced over the greater part of the Dominion and for the prevalence of southerly or south-easterly winds. Though temperatures were, on the average, rather below normal, the coolness was mitigated by a comparative absence of wind. Many days were beautifully warm.

Rainfall.—Several heavy rains were experienced in the Auckland Peninsula, especially the northern portion. The totals for the month exceeded the average in all parts, but in the far North were more than double. The districts east of the main range from Hawke’s Bay to East Cape also had a continuance of the wet conditions prevailing in February, and the total falls were considerably above the average. The only other area which recorded more than the normal for March was that about Dunedin. In the remainder of the Dominion the rainfall was generally much below average. In the southern half of Taranaki, and in the Wellington, Marlborough, and Canterbury Provinces, very light falls were recorded. For example, Eltham had only 0·07 in., Foxton 0·61 in., Wellington 0·35 in., Spring Creek, Blenheim 0·24 in., and Christchurch 0·48 in.

Temperatures.—Though, as would be expected with southerly winds prevailing, most places had temperatures rather below the average for March, this was by no means invariably the case. In some localities, especially those protected from the direct effect of south-easterly winds, a warm month was experienced.

Sunshine.—As regards sunshine, conditions varied somewhat, but at the majority of places there was less than normal.

Winds.—There were strong south-easterly to north-easterly winds about Cook Strait and over the North Island between the 6th and the 10th, some rather heavy gales being reported from the North, but, on the whole, winds were unusually light during the month.

Weather Systems.—The outstanding feature of the weather charts during the month was the prevalence of anticyclones over New Zealand. This was particularly noticeable at the beginning and the end of the month. Generally, the centre of high pressure was in the south, and this accounted for the frequency of south-easterly winds. The usual westerly depressions were few in number and very poorly developed.

From the 6th to the 9th, while pressure was very high to the south and south-east, a depression moved from far to the north of New Zealand in a south-south-easterly direction, past Chatham Island. Heavy rains occurred in North Auckland and between Hawke’s Bay and East Cape, many rivers being flooded.