2982
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 76

considerable flooding occurred in places. Waiau had over 6 in. in the 24 hours preceding 9 a.m. on the 10th. Many of the ranges in both Islands received a coating of snow, the fall being a very heavy one in the Tongariro National Park. The above-mentioned storm had passed away eastwards by the 11th, but pressure remained relatively low to the north-east and east of New Zealand, while an anticyclone extended from the westward on to the southern districts. Consequently, strong southerly winds continued to blow up the east coast as far as East Cape, accompanied by frequent showers in coastal areas. Over the rest of the Dominion, however, and especially in western districts, although temperatures remained cold, the weather for the most part was fine on the 11th and 12th. The anticyclone had spread over the whole Dominion by the 13th, and under its influence fine, pleasant weather prevailed generally until the 15th.

The next depression was once again a cyclone which, on the morning of the 15th, was centred north-west of Cape Maria van Diemen, bringing rain to North Auckland. It intensified and extended southwards during the night of the 15th, and consequently widespread rain fell in the North Island, many heavy downpours occurring, culminating in floods in North Auckland and also in the Wairarapa on the 16th. Strong north-east winds blew at this time in North Auckland and south-easterlies about Cook Strait, but in the South Island winds remained light to moderate and mainly from some easterly quarter. The centre of the storm was situated off East Cape on the morning of the 17th, but its worst effects had by then ceased owing to the modifying influence of a depression of the westerly type approaching across the Tasman Sea. The resulting improvement on the 17th, however, was of brief duration, for in the night the new depression advanced on to the Dominion and proved an extremely intense one. A renewal of unsettled conditions rapidly took place, with rain in most districts and heavy falls in parts of the western. On the 18th strong north-westerly winds blew, but rainfall was confined chiefly to the west coast districts. During the night a tornado swept over part of the Tikorangi district and extensively damaged a dwellinghouse and cow-shed, besides causing minor damage to sheds, fences, and power poles.

From the 19th there followed a period of fine weather while an anticyclone was moving over the Dominion. The latter intensified considerably on the 23rd, the centre then being located east of the South Island, but a shallow cyclone located between Norfolk Island and Cape Maria van Diemen brought strong north-easterly winds and scattered rain to the Auckland Province during the night of the 23rd and on the 24th. In North Auckland the falls were very heavy and were again responsible for some flooding. For instance, Kaitaia had as much as 5·28 in. on the 24th, while at various other stations falls exceeding 3 in. were recorded.

On the morning of the 26th a tornado passed over part of Te Aroha, unroofing a large timber-mill shed.

The northern cyclone gradually filled up while the anticyclone over and east of the Dominion intensified still further, and under its influence most parts of the Dominion experienced fine, pleasant weather until the close of the month. There was, however, considerable cloud in eastern areas and occasional light rain at isolated places.

On the last day of the month a westerly depression was approaching the South Island and rain fell in Westland.

B. V. PEMBERTON, Acting Director.

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE.

SUMMARY OF THE RECORDS OF TEMPERATURE, RAINFALL, AND SUNSHINE FOR SEPTEMBER, 1935.

NOTE.—At stations where departures from normal are in parentheses the record has been maintained for less than ten years in the case of temperatures and for less than twenty years in the case of rainfall, and the normals are partly interpolated.