AUG. 27.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1647

Government Meteorological Observatory.

METEOROLOGICAL Observations at Kelburn, Wellington, for the Month of July, 1936. Observations taken at 9 a.m.
Altitude of Observatory, 415 ft.

| Date. | Pressure in Inches and Reduced to Standard Gravity and Sea-level. | Temperature (° F.) from Observations at 9 a.m. | | | | | Wind. | | | | |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| | | In Screen. | | | | | Beaufort Scale. | Anemometer. | | | |
| | | At 9 a.m. | | Maxi-mum. | Mini-mum. | Minimum on Grass. | | | Rainfall, in Points (100 Points = 1 Inch). | Bright Sunshine: Hours and Tenths. | Weather (Symbols) at 9 a.m. |
| | | Dry. | Wet. | Humid-ity. | | | Direction. | Force. | Run in 24 Hours. | | | |
| 1 | 29.590 | 49.4 | 47.8 | 88 | 50.8 | 43.1 | 42.2 | SE | 2 | 92 | 8 | 2.1 | bc |
| 2 | 29.805 | 46.1 | 44.7 | 89 | 53.0 | 37.1 | 33.5 | NNW | 2 | 150 | 31 | 4.7 | op |
| 3 | 29.401 | 48.1 | 42.0 | 54 | 49.6 | 45.0 | 41.8 | WNW | 5 | 281 | 14 | 4.0 | bc |
| 4 | 29.814 | 43.3 | 40.2 | 74 | 55.5 | 37.0 | 27.2 | NE | 1 | 229 | 3 | 8.4 | b |
| 5 | 29.359 | 49.9 | 48.2 | 88 | 53.0 | 43.0 | 35.8 | NNW | 8 | 264 | 113 | 0.0 | orq |
| 6 | 29.002 | 47.0 | 44.3 | 80 | 52.8 | 45.8 | 41.8 | NW | 8 | 478 | 1 | 6.9 | bc |
| 7 | 29.427 | 44.7 | 38.7 | 53 | 46.0 | 42.6 | 38.8 | S | 8 | 377 | .. | 3.8 | o |
| 8 | 30.089 | 40.4 | 38.6 | 84 | 53.2 | 37.0 | 28.2 | Calm | .. | 246 | Trace | 6.9 | b |
| 9 | 30.307 | 43.0 | 41.9 | 90 | 50.2 | 37.3 | 30.0 | Calm | .. | 13 | .. | 8.5 | b |
| 10 | 30.470 | 41.3 | 40.2 | 90 | 52.3 | 34.3 | 23.8 | Calm | .. | 22 | .. | 7.2 | b |
| 11 | 30.384 | 46.3 | 42.2 | 68 | 52.6 | 40.4 | 31.2 | N | 2 | 45 | .. | 7.3 | b |
| 12 | 30.325 | 45.6 | 42.3 | 75 | 56.3 | 41.7 | 35.0 | Calm | .. | 136 | .. | 5.4 | o |
| 13 | 30.239 | 46.8 | 41.1 | 57 | 49.5 | 42.3 | 35.0 | S | 5 | 126 | Trace | 6.6 | b |
| 14 | 30.375 | 46.0 | 41.0 | 62 | 47.0 | 41.0 | 38.3 | SSE | 5 | 209 | .. | 7.1 | c |
| 15 | 30.295 | 46.0 | 42.2 | 71 | 51.9 | 34.3 | 26.4 | N | 2 | 62 | .. | 6.4 | c |
| 16 | 30.301 | 47.5 | 44.4 | 77 | 52.8 | 44.4 | 41.8 | N | 2 | 76 | 1 | 4.4 | o |
| 17 | 30.068 | 50.2 | 48.1 | 86 | 54.4 | 43.1 | 36.1 | NW | 4 | 91 | 26 | 0.9 | o |
| 18 | 29.785 | 54.0 | 51.7 | 85 | 57.1 | 49.2 | 50.0 | NNW | 7 | 355 | 32 | 0.0 | ogq |
| 19 | 29.625 | 50.0 | 44.0 | 58 | 58.1 | 48.2 | 44.8 | WNW | 1 | 400 | 42 | 7.3 | bc |
| 20 | 29.861 | 44.8 | 43.9 | 93 | 47.0 | 43.9 | 43.1 | SSE | 3 | 252 | 182 | 0.0 | or |
| 21 | 30.115 | 45.0 | 44.7 | 98 | 46.5 | 40.3 | 39.7 | S | 6 | 417 | 15 | 0.2 | opq |
| 22 | 30.047 | 41.1 | 38.0 | 73 | 46.6 | 40.7 | 37.4 | SSW | 6 | 380 | 2 | 0.0 | orq |
| 23 | 29.962 | 43.4 | 41.9 | 87 | 51.9 | 39.8 | 33.8 | Calm | .. | 208 | 36 | 0.3 | c |
| 24 | 29.971 | 44.9 | 43.0 | 85 | 46.8 | 43.0 | 42.1 | SSW | 3 | 136 | 6 | 0.0 | o |
| 25 | 29.929 | 46.1 | 43.3 | 79 | 48.7 | 43.3 | 41.0 | S | 2 | 128 | .. | 2.5 | ojp |
| 26 | 30.065 | 45.2 | 44.1 | 91 | 46.4 | 39.8 | 31.0 | SSE | 2 | 47 | 132 | 1.2 | op |
| 27 | 29.971 | 42.0 | 41.0 | 92 | 42.6 | 41.0 | 40.0 | SSW | 5 | 247 | 85 | 0.0 | or |
| 28 | 29.897 | 41.8 | 40.4 | 88 | 51.2 | 36.9 | 30.4 | Calm | .. | 45 | 48 | 1.1 | o |
| 29 | 29.501 | 45.5 | 45.2 | 98 | 46.8 | 40.3 | 40.4 | SSW | 4 | 47 | 20 | 0.0 | omd |
| 30 | 29.407 | 43.3 | 41.4 | 84 | 45.5 | 42.0 | 41.2 | S | 7 | 376 | 12 | 1.6 | oip |
| 31 | 29.498 | 39.0 | 38.1 | 92 | 40.7 | 37.7 | 37.0 | S | 2 | 268 | 33 | 0.0 | or |
| Means, &c. | 29.900 | 45.4 | 42.9 | 80 | 50.2 | 41.1 | 36.7 | .. | 3 | 200 | 842 | 104.8 | .. |

Mean earth temperature at 1 ft., 45.4°; and at 3 ft., 48.3°. Number of rain days, 21. Total rainfall, 74 per cent. above normal. Sunshine, 36 per cent. of possible. Mean dew-point at 9 a.m., 39.6°; mean vapour pressure, 0.243 in.

NOTE.—Light snowflakes fell on the 22nd and 31st, hail was recorded three times, fogs occurred on four occasions, six gales were recorded, and there were five frosts.

DIRECTION OF WIND.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR JULY, 1936.

General.—July preserved the character of the preceding portion of this year for a prevalence of fine and mild weather interspersed with phenomena of record-breaking intensity. Though temperatures were below normal and hard frosts were numerous, especially in the North Island, stock and vegetation do not appear to have suffered to any extent. Stock, indeed, are almost everywhere reported to be in good condition, and ample feed is available. Vegetation seems to be further advanced than usual, there being signs of growth, particularly in the leaf-buds of trees. Spring flowers, also, are commencing to bloom. Grass has not grown much, but retains satisfactory condition. Farm work is well in hand, principally owing to earlier fine weather. In heavy soils, however, the ground is waterlogged and cultivation at a standstill. The cold spell which was setting in at the end of the month may prove to be the cause of some damage. Fogs were unusually prevalent.

Rainfall.—In the North Island, though the rainfall was in general above average, there were numerous exceptions. Thus, the Auckland Province, from Russell southward to Tauranga, received less than the normal amount. So, also, did parts of Taranaki and Hawke's Bay. In the South Island Nelson and the West Coast had somewhat less than normal, but elsewhere the month was a very wet one. Numbers of places in Otago had double the average fall. Wet days were more numerous than usual, the only spell of settled weather occurring in the third week.

Temperatures.—Temperatures were everywhere below the normal for July. In western districts from Taranaki southwards the departures were generally only slight, but in most of the rest of the country they were somewhat over a degree. The South Island experienced frosts in approximately the average number and intensity. In the North Island, however, from one end to the other they were unusually numerous and sharp. At this time of year and in the fine and relatively windless weather in which they occurred, they were responsible for little damage. There is a considerable amount of snow on the mountains.

Sunshine.—In general, the amount of sunshine did not differ greatly from the average, and there was no marked general trend in the departures. Of two places rather near each other, one would have rather more and one rather less than normal. Tauranga had 177.4 hours, Nelson 164.9, and Napier 158.8 hours.

Pressure Systems.—The weather of the first week was very unsettled with general rain on most days. Violent storms passed on the 3rd and on the morning of the 6th. On the 3rd there were westerly gales over the North Island and south-westerlies in the South. Snow fell to low levels on the ranges, and there were numerous hailstorms. A few severe thunderstorms, also, were recorded. On the 4th a cyclone, which had been causing bad weather in south-eastern Australia, was advancing across the Tasman Sea. On the 5th it suddenly deepened and advanced rapidly on to the South Island. Several secondary depressions followed it, causing the pressure to fall still further. Early on the morning of the 6th barometers at the Bluff and in the vicinity reached the record low level for New Zealand of 28.33 in. Though not so low elsewhere, the readings in many places transgressed all previous records. From the 5th to the 6th severe westerly gales were experienced in most parts of the country. The rain was heavy, and in a few places moderate flooding occurred. Numerous hail and sleet showers were again reported, with snow down to low levels on the hills.