Jan. 11.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 17

Government Meteorological Observatory.

METEOROLOGICAL Observations at Kelburn, Wellington, for the month of November, 1933. Observations taken at 9 a.m.

Altitude of Observatory, 415 ft.

Mean earth temperature at 1 ft., 58·1° ; and at 3 ft., 56·8°. Number of rain days, 9.

DIRECTION OF WIND.

Gale (force 8 or more). | Forces 4 to 7. | Calm. | N. | N.E. | E. | S.E. | S. | S.W. | W. | N.W.
.. | 12 | .. | 4 | 3 | 2 | 6½ | 2½ | .. | .. | 12

NOTE.—A cold, dry, and sunny month, with precipitation 46 per cent. below the mean of previous years. Total bright sunshine, 211 hours, 49 per cent. of the possible, and one sunless day. Frost was recorded on the grass on the morning of the 23rd. Mean dew-point at 9 a.m., 47·8° ; and mean vapour pressure, 0·332 in.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR NOVEMBER, 1933.

General.—From the meteorological point of view November was a quiet month. Southerly or south-easterly winds were unusually prevalent and were responsible for temperatures being rather on the cold side. There was a better distribution of rainfall than in October, but Nelson and Marlborough again experienced a serious shortage, and are suffering drought conditions. Elsewhere, though supplies are not so abundant in the Waikato and Taranaki districts as last year, there is generally an abundance of pasture. Stock are in good condition, milk-yields are above normal, and in most districts lambs are fattening well. The heavy rains in Canterbury in the early part of the month saved the situation, particularly as regards wheat crops. On the whole, however, crops do not seem to be doing quite so well as last year. The late frosts of the 22nd and 23rd caused serious losses of potatoes, tomatoes, spring vegetables, and small fruits.

Rainfall.—Rainfall was above average north of Auckland, in the Bay of Plenty, and eastern districts of the North Island, and in most of Canterbury and Otago. In the Waikato, Taranaki, the Manawatu, the Wairarapa, Westland, Southland, and particularly Nelson and Marlborough, it was considerably below average. There was an absence of warm north-westerly rains.

Temperatures.—Temperatures were above normal from Auckland northwards and west of the ranges in the North Island, but east of the main range they were below. The Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay areas had very cold weather for the time of year. In the South Island, Central Otago had a warm month but the remainder a cold one. The frosts of the 22nd and 23rd were unusually severe for so late in the season. In South Canterbury and Otago that of the 22nd was the more severe, but thence northwards, in North Canterbury, Marlborough, Wellington, and Hawke’s Bay, it was on the 23rd that the damage was done.

Sunshine.—There was less sunshine than usual over the greater part of the North Island, and especially the east coast, owing to the dull weather brought by the persistent southerly and south-easterly winds. From Wellington southwards, however, the normal was exceeded at most places by large amounts. Lake Tekapo recorded 285·5, Nelson 271·0, and Blenheim 254·0 hours.

Pressure Systems.—During the first three days pressure was high and the weather fine. On the afternoon of the 2nd, however, during a heat thunderstorm at Omata, near New Plymouth, a Maori was struck by lightning and killed, a rare occurrence in New Zealand.

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