APRIL 27.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 819

Government Meteorological Observatory.

METEOROLOGICAL Observations at Kelburn, Wellington, for the Month of February, 1933. Observations taken at 9 a.m.

Altitude of Observatory, 415 ft.

Mean earth temperature at 1 ft., 64·8 ; and at 3 ft., 63·6°. Number of rain days, 10.

DIRECTION OF WIND.

NOTE.—A cloudy month, with strong north-westerly winds, which not too frequently reached gale force. The windiest February since 1915. Rainfall was 40 per cent. above the normal. Total bright sunshine, 164·7 hours, 42 per cent. of the possible, and four sunless days. Lightning was seen on four days, and a heavy thunderstorm occurred in the early hours of the morning of the 15th. Mean dew-point at 9 a.m., 55·5°; and mean vapour pressure, 0·439 in.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER OF FEBRUARY, 1933.

General.—The weather in February was more appropriate to a spring than a late summer month in the prevalence of strong westerly winds. It was generally warm, with an absence of extreme temperatures. Except in low-lying eastern districts, the rainfall was very heavy. Many places recorded double the average fall for February. In consequence, there has been an excellent growth of grass in most districts. Stock are in very good condition, milk yields are being maintained, and crops are generally turning out well. Haymaking and harvesting have been interfered with to some extent by the continued wet weather. The north-westerly winds, also, interfered with harvesting on the eastern side of the ranges, and caused some loss of fruit.

Rainfall.—On the whole, the month was a very wet one, many places, as has been remarked, having had double the normal February total. On the low levels in Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, Canterbury, and eastern Otago, however, the falls were below average. This was especially the case on the Canterbury Plains.

Temperature and Sunshine.—On the average the temperature was about one degree above normal, but the departures varied considerably. February is usually our sunniest month, but this year such was far from being the case.

Pressure Systems.—The month began with a fairly vigorous depression approaching from the west. Strong northerly winds blew on the 1st in and north of Cook Strait. Heavy rain fell on the west coast of the South Island. On the 3rd a southerly change gradually extended over the Dominion, and the depression appeared to be moving away when it suddenly deepened and became stationary. Rain became almost general, except in the southern half of the South Island, and from Nelson and Marlborough northwards heavy falls occurred from the 3rd to the 4th. On the early morning of the 4th damage was caused in the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty districts by a severe south-easterly gale. The same influence that led to the stormy developments of the 3rd and 4th resulted in an unusual type of depression forming west of the Auckland Peninsula, which did not move away until the 8th. Heavy rain continued to fall in the North Island during this period, and thunderstorms were very numerous. These began in the far North on the 6th, a number of animals being killed by lightning at Mangapai, and were very severe about Auckland and in the Thames and Waikato districts on the 7th. At some places they were reported again on the 8th. On the same day Central Otago experienced thunderstorms and heavy downpours.

On the 9th a change took place in the type of weather, the first of two severe westerly spells which were experienced during the month setting in on this day. Deep depressions passed on the 10th and 14th. Much heavy rain fell on the west coast of the South Island, especially on the nights of the 10th and 14th. There was thunder in the Grey mouth district on the night of the 10th and a south-westerly gale blew on the coast. On the night of the 14th and the morning of the 15th a series of particularly severe thunderstorms occurred in Westland, western and northern Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough,

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