Nov. 26.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2295

Government Meteorological Observatory.

METEOROLOGICAL Observations at Kelburn, Wellington, for the Month of October, 1936. Observations taken at 9 a.m.

Altitude of Observatory, 415 ft.

Mean earth temperature at 1 ft., 56·6°; and at 3 ft., 54·3°. Number of rain days, 14. Total rainfall, 5 per cent. below normal. Sunshine, 42 per cent. of the possible. Mean dew-point at 9 a.m., 48·9°; mean vapour pressure, 0·346 in.

DIRECTION OF WIND.

NOTE.—On the 8th and 9th there were severe gales from the north-west, and on the latter date several persons were blown over and injured. There was a light hail shower on the 14th, and fresh snow fell on the ranges. Fogs were experienced on the 23rd and 24th.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR OCTOBER, 1936.

General.—The first ten or eleven days of October were very windy and rather cool, but otherwise the month was a very mild one. Except in parts of the Wairarapa and southern Hawke’s Bay there has been a vigorous growth of vegetation, and there is ample feed for stock, which are reported to be in very good condition. The milk-yield improved rapidly and is now high. The lambing-season appears to have been a good one, with relatively few losses owing to adverse weather. As regards fattening, the condition of lambs at the end of the month, though on the whole good, was somewhat variable. In some places the grass was still rather soft. In this respect, however, conditions should soon improve. Crops have made good growth, but the wet condition of the soil has reduced the sowing of spring wheat in Canterbury.

Rainfall.—The rainfall exceeded the average over most of the west coast of the South Island and the Nelson and Marlborough Provinces, but elsewhere it was below. Large parts of the North Island and also of Canterbury had only half the normal fall.

Temperatures were everywhere above normal. In eastern districts and the interior the departures were generally somewhat over 2°, and elsewhere mainly between 1° and 1·5°. The lowest was at Hokitika, where the mean was only 0·5° above normal. The relatively low value there was due to the frequent rains and its exposure to the westerly and south-westerly winds. Frosts were infrequent and not, in general, severe. A rather sharp one occurred, however, on the morning of the 15th. In the Hastings district, following immediately on a cold rain with snow on the high levels, it caused very serious damage to fruit and tomato crops. A few days later considerable damage was done in orchards in parts of Central Otago. There were several very warm days.

Sunshine.—The duration of bright sunshine was generally below average, and especially so in western districts from Taranaki southwards. A few places in the interior and the southern parts of the South Island had more than usual. Lake Tekapo recorded 227·6, Blenheim 218·1, and Napier 213·0 hours.

Pressure Systems.—During the first eleven days a series of vigorous westerly depressions crossed the Dominion, and north-westerly or westerly gales were blowing in some part or other almost throughout. The gale of the night of the 8th to morning of the 9th was particularly severe and some damage was done, especially in the Wellington, Westland, and Canterbury Provinces. The gale was accompanied by general rains, which were very heavy on the West Coast and in the high country of the South Island. Floods occurred on the West Coast, that at Greymouth being reported as the highest for twenty-two years. The Waimakariri River, also, was in high flood, the highest level exceeding anything during the preceding sixty years. Many severe thunderstorms were experienced during the 8th and the 9th.

On the 11th to the 12th the weather changed, the winds turning to southerlies, which were strong about Cook Strait. Some snow fell on the ranges and in the high levels of the South Island. South-westerly weather predominated until the 16th; gales were recorded at times in many places. On the 14th there was again snow on the ranges, and on the following morning severe frosts were experienced in the central part of the North Island.