May 2.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1249

Government Meteorological Observatory.

METEOROLOGICAL Observations at Kelburn, Wellington, for the Month of March, 1935. Observations taken at 9 a.m.

Altitude of Observatory, 415 ft.

Mean earth temperature at 1 ft., 64·9°; and at 3 ft., 65·0°. Number of rain days, 8.

DIRECTION OF WIND.

Gale (force 8 or more). | Forces 4 to 7. | N. | N.E. | E. | S.E. | S. | S.W. | W. | N.W. | Calm.
.. | 7 | 5½ | 2 | 5 | 8½ | 2½ | .. | ½ | 7 | ..

NOTE.—A good autumn month, with mean temperature nearly 2° F. above normal. The extreme maximum was 80°. Total bright sunshine, 193 hours, 50 per cent. of the possible. Precipitation was 22 per cent. above normal. Except for a thunderstorm on the early morning of the 19th, the month was without incident. Mean dew-point at 9 a.m., 53·7°; mean vapour pressure, 0·413 in.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR MARCH, 1935.

General.—March was a very satisfactory autumn month. The warmth and lack of wind led to rapid growth of vegetation, and a good supply of winter feed is assured. The only extensive area still suffering from a shortage of rainfall is North Canterbury. Parts of the southern Wairarapa, also, are still dry. Stock generally are reported to be in good condition, and the milk yield has recovered. There was much dull and damp weather in the first part of the month on the east coast of the North Island north of Hawke’s Bay, and this had an adverse effect on sheep, a considerable amount of facial eczema being reported. Crops have done better than seemed probable earlier in the season.

Rainfall.—Except in the Auckland and Hawke’s Bay Provinces the first half of the month was very dry, but in the latter half there were general rains, with heavy falls at most places. In Central and especially North Canterbury the total rain was below average. Hawke’s Bay and parts of the interior of the North Island also had less than normal. On the west coast of the South Island conditions were irregular, but on the whole did not differ greatly from average. Over the rest of the country there was an excess. Many places in North Auckland, Taranaki, Nelson, Marlborough, and Otago had double the average.

Temperatures were again considerably above normal, the departures ranging mainly between 1·5° and 3°. The one exception was Hawke’s Bay, where the mean for the month was below the average. Some snow fell on the mountains on the 26th and 27th, but most of it subsequently disappeared. A few light frosts were recorded.

Sunshine.—Sunshine was unusually abundant on the West Coast and in the far southern portions of the South Island. On the east coast of the North Island, from Hawke’s Bay northward, there was a considerable deficit, and this probably accounted for the low temperatures in that area. Elsewhere the totals did not differ greatly from normal.

Pressure Systems.—In the first part of the month there was very little storm activity over the Dominion. On the 3rd and 4th a depression moving from the north past East Cape caused heavy rains north of Hawke’s Bay and in parts of the Bay of Plenty area.

Between the 10th and the 14th a depression passed slowly by the northern extremity of the North Island and was responsible for north-easterly gales and heavy rains in most of the Auckland Province. Very severe flooding occurred in North Auckland.

The first general rains were associated with a rather complex storm system which was active over the country from the 15th to the 19th, the 17th being generally the wettest day. Floods occurred again in North Auckland and Taranaki, while few districts escaped very heavy falls.