3444
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 80

Government Meteorological Observatory.

METEOROLOGICAL Observations at Kelburn, Wellington, for the Month of September, 1934. Observations taken at 9 a.m.

Altitude of Observatory, 415 ft.

Mean earth temperature at 1 ft., 50·5°; and at 3 ft., 50·4°. Number of rain days, 11.

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 | 2 | 5 | ½ | 3½ | 4 | 4½ | .. | .. | 10½

NOTE.—A good spring month, with temperatures above normal. Total bright sunshine, 162·5 hours, 46 per cent. of the possible; five sunless days. Precipitation was 29 per cent. below the average. In the cold southerly spell between the 10th and the 12th there were strong winds and frequent hailstorms, and on higher levels occasional showers of sleet. Snow was down to low levels of the Rimutakas and Tararuas. There was a north-west gale on the 28th, and the night of the 30th saw the commencement of a particularly strong gale, again from the north-west. Hail occurred on three occasions, and there was a frost on the morning of the 3rd. Mean dew-point at 9 a.m., 45·4°; mean vapour pressure, 0·303 in.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR SEPTEMBER, 1934.

General.—Apart from the rather severe cold spell from the 10th to the 12th, September was a pleasant month with mild temperatures. The greater part of it was dry in nearly all districts, but practically all recorded good rains at some period and the spring growth of vegetation set in with great vigour. Generally, the season is further advanced than usual, but the reverse is the case in South Canterbury. There is abundant pasture everywhere and stock are doing well. In some localities there were considerable losses of lambs in the cold weather referred to above, but the average percentage appears to be good. Owing to the sodden state of the soil less wheat has been sown in Canterbury than was intended.

Rainfall.—Heavy rains were recorded in the Auckland Peninsula, mainly in connection with two cyclonic depressions which affected that area. Over practically all the remainder of the North Island the rainfall was very much below normal. In the South Taranaki Bight area it was the driest September for many years. In the South Island, Nelson, the West Coast, and parts of southern Otago and Southland experienced a dry month. Elsewhere, chiefly owing to heavy rains on the 24th and 25th, totals were unusually high.

Temperatures.—The reports so far received, with the exception of that for Hastings, indicate that over the North Island temperatures were above the average. At Hastings there was some cold weather at the beginning of the month with some severe frosts, and this caused the mean to be low. In the South Island conditions were very variable. Thus, while Timaru had a cold month, Christchurch and Waimate were rather warmer than usual. The average for the whole Island differed little from normal.

Sunshine.—The amount of bright sunshine was generally about average. Blenheim reports 211·2, Nelson 207·2, Lake Tekapo 188·9, and Napier 175·1 hours.

Storm Systems.—On the 1st some snow fell in the far South in the rear of a depression which had just passed eastward. It failed to extend far northwards, however, and soon ceased.

Between the 3rd and the 6th a rather vigorous cyclonic depression moved from the North Tasman Sea past the extreme north of New Zealand. It produced easterly gales in North Auckland and heavy rains there and in the north-east of the North Island. In the Auckland Peninsula there were rather severe floods. South of the Auckland Province light rain only was recorded.