Nov. 21.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 3369

Government Meteorological Observatory.

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

Altitude of Observatory, 415 ft.

Mean earth temperature at 1 ft., 54·7°; and at 3 ft., 53·7°. Number of rain days, 18.

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.
.. | 19 | 5 | ½ | .. | 2 | 5 | 1 | .. | 15½ | 2

NOTE.—A windy and wet month, particularly the last ten days. Approximate mean temperature slightly below normal. Total bright sunshine amounted to only 39 per cent. of the possible, and there were four sunless days. Rainfall was 46 per cent. above normal, most of which fell after the 18th. October was the wettest month so far experienced this year. There was a strong north-west gale on the night of 28th–29th, when gusts of 68 and 70 miles per hour were registered. Mean dew-point at 9 a.m., 48·6°; mean vapour pressure, 0·342 in.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR OCTOBER, 1935.

General.—October can be regarded as having been a favourable spring month, the main features of which were the generally mild temperatures and a plentiful rainfall, especially in the last ten days. The rain in South Canterbury relieved the fear of severe loss through the prolonged dry weather, and, by the close of the month, crops and pastures had made a good recovery in that district. Over the greater part of the Dominion there was a vigorous growth of vegetation and consequently stock are in splendid condition, and there has been a remarkable increase in dairy production.

Rainfall.—The total rainfall was above the average over most of the North Island but below in the northern part of the Auckland Peninsula and at a few isolated places in the Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, and Taranaki districts. In the South Island an excess was recorded north of Greymouth and Akaroa, while further south there was a deficiency. The greatest percentage above normal in the North Island occurred at Napier, where it was 88 per cent., and in the South Island at Waiau with 93 per cent. above. In South Canterbury the aggregate was only slightly below or just about the average.

Temperature.—Temperatures were nearly everywhere above the average, although the departure was nowhere a great one. Napier had 2·6 degrees above, Auckland 2·2, and places in South Canterbury and Otago had over 1 degree above. In the coastal area between Wellington City and New Plymouth and at Invercargill it was very slightly below, while in North Canterbury it did not vary much from the average. Christchurch experienced a frost of 9 degrees on the morning of the 20th and one of 8 degrees on the 16th, but otherwise there were no severe frosts during the month, many districts reporting none at all.

Sunshine.—Owing to a considerable amount of dull weather during the latter part of the month sunshine was less than the average in most districts, the only excess being experienced in North Auckland, the East Coast district south from Christchurch, and in Southland. The largest total amount recorded was 215 hours at Napier. Tauranga had 211, Masterton 198, Nelson 191, and Christchurch 186 hours.

Pressure Systems.—Up till the 13th, although pressure was often high over the North Island, frequent depressions of the westerly type moved across the South Island. Consequently, although temporary changes to south-westerly occurred in places, the winds were mainly north-westerly or westerly and invariably strong about and south of Cook Strait. What little rain fell during this period was confined mostly to the western and far southern parts of the South Island, the weather remaining fair and warm in all eastern areas.

During the night of the 13th a rather deep depression of the above type crossed the Dominion, and by the morning of the 14th winds had become south-westerly or southerly generally, rain accompanying the change in most districts, with a drop in temperature. The rainfall was only light and scattered in most of the eastern districts. A slight secondary which developed off Cape Egmont during the night of the 15th and crossed the central portion of the North Island on the 16th was responsible for thunder and hail at places between Taranaki and the East Coast district of the North Island. A heavy hail-storm occurred in Wanganui on the afternoon of the 16th, the storm in the up-river district being a particularly severe one, During the next two days, while an anticyclone was crossing the Dominion, fine weather prevailed generally.