Dec. 19.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 4045

Government Meteorological Observatory.

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

Altitude of Observatory, 415 ft.

Mean earth temperature at 1 ft., 57·7°; and at 3 ft., 56·2°. 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.
.. | 15 | 3½ | 1 | 3 | 3½ | 7½ | 1 | .. | 9½ | 1

NOTE.—A remarkably cold spring month. Approximate mean temperature was 2·7° below normal, while the mean minimum temperature was the lowest ever experienced at Wellington. Total bright sunshine amounted to 43 per cent. of the possible. Rainfall was 5 per cent. below normal, but there were eighteen wet days compared with an average of thirteen for November. During an exceptionally cold snap from the 25th to the 27th hail showers were frequent, and snow fell to low levels on the surrounding ranges. A brilliant display of lightning occurred on the night of the 24th, and a fog during the early hours of the 23rd. Mean dew-point at 9 a.m., 45·7°; mean vapour pressure, 0·306 in.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR NOVEMBER, 1935.

General.—As a spring month November proved very disappointing, the outstanding meteorological features being its coldness, a deficiency of sunshine, and, in most districts, an excess of rainfall. Although there was fairly abundant growth, pastures were somewhat lacking in nourishing qualities, and lambs, therefore, did not fatten as well as might have been expected at this season of the year. In dairying districts the milk yield was below normal. The constant showery conditions also interfered considerably with shearing operations. On the whole, however, stock kept in good condition, and the summer prospects for the farming community appear to be in every way propitious.

Rainfall.—The general rainfall exceeded the average over the greater part of the North Island, slight deficiencies being experienced in parts of the Auckland district and the Taranaki Bight only. The rainfall was above normal also over the eastern half of the South Island but below in the western half. The largest excesses occurred in Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury. Napier had 65 per cent. above, while in Canterbury the percentages averaged about 80 per cent. above normal.

Temperatures.—Temperatures were below the average over the whole Dominion, and, in fact, the November just passed proved, in many parts, to be one of the coldest on record. In the North Island the average departure below normal was 1·9 and in the South Island 3·3 degrees. Timaru recorded as much as 4·9 and Christchurch 4·7 degrees below. Fortunately there were very few frosts during the month and none of a damaging nature.

Sunshine.—Over the greater part of the Dominion sunshine was less than the average, the only meteorological stations recording an excess being Waipoua, Auckland, Blenheim, and Hokitika. With the exception of Hokitika the excesses were very slight ones. Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury had particularly low aggregates. Blenheim recorded the largest amount with 240 hours, Nelson coming next with 223·7 hours.

Pressure Systems.—In November most of the anticyclones passed in northern latitudes, and consequently depressions were more numerous than usual. Indeed, there were very few days on which some part of the Dominion was not being affected by one of them.

During the first week a series of depressions of the westerly type crossed the Dominion, and moderate to strong winds between north-west and south-west prevailed. The weather was rather changeable, and what rain fell was chiefly of a showery and scattered nature. On the night of the 6th, however, a rather intense secondary depression passed eastwards and a strong southerly wind set in generally, accompanied by fairly widespread rain and a decided drop in temperature. A few high-level stations in the South Island at this time experienced falls of snow, while there were hail showers on parts of the eastern and southern coastal areas. Cold, squally conditions continued throughout the 7th and 8th, and on the night of the 7th a severe hailstorm in the Feilding district did considerable damage to fruit-trees and vegetables. Hail showers also occurred about this time at various other places in both the North and South Islands.

On the 9th fine weather was experienced in most districts except in North Auckland, where strong westerly winds with showery conditions continued to prevail. By the 10th, however, a cyclonic depression was approaching the Dominion, its centre next morning being off the west coast of the South Island. The weather again became dull and threatening with scattered rain, and during the night of the 11th widespread rain accompanied a southerly change as the cyclone crossed to the east side of the Dominion. Cold, wintry-like conditions continued until the morning of the 14th, but an improvement was then setting in over most of the country, and, under the influence of a slight anticyclone, beautifully fine and warm weather prevailed on the 15th and 16th.