Dec. 22.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2517

Government Meteorological Observatory.

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

Mean earth temperature at 1 ft., 60·2°; and at 3 ft., 58·1°. Number of rain days, 16. Total rainfall 104 per cent. above normal, being the wettest November since 1888. Sunshine, 43 per cent. of the possible. Mean dew-point at 9 a.m., 49·0°; mean vapour pressure, 0·346 in.

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.

1 18 3½ ... 5½ 3½ ... 2 15½ ...

Note.—On the 4th and 25th gales were experienced from the north-west, the latter being severe. Several persons were again blown over at crossings.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR NOVEMBER, 1936.

General.—November proved a dull, wet, and changeable month, and consequently from the point of view of the public comfort it was an extremely disappointing one. Although there were several brief periods of cold southerly conditions, particularly on the 8th and 9th and during the last three days, northerly winds predominated and temperatures were, on the whole, on the mild side. As a result there has been a wonderful growth of grass and vegetation generally, and stock are in splendid condition. The lack of sunshine, however, has kept the grass soft, and in some districts lambs have not fattened well. Frequent rainfall also caused interruption in shearing and also a certain amount of mortality amongst shorn sheep. Generally, however, the month was a favourable one for the farmer.

Rainfall.—The total rainfall was above the average over the greater part of the Dominion, only a small portion of the coastal area in the South Taranaki Bight and Greymouth reporting a deficit. The greatest excess occurred in the Auckland Province, where some places experienced more than double the usual amount. Russell had 11·32 in. against an average of 2·22 in., and Whangarei 10·11 in., the average being 2·81 in. Some large excesses occurred also in Canterbury.

Temperatures.—In spite of an excess of rain, temperatures were nearly everywhere above normal. The departure in most cases was only a fraction of a degree, but in the southern half of the North Island several places registered over 2° F. Frosts occurred on only a few occasions, but some places experienced rather sharp ones on the mornings of the 15th and 16th. Some damage was caused to plants on the 15th in Hawke’s Bay.

Sunshine.—Sunshine was nearly everywhere below normal, the only one of the recording stations having an excess being Tauranga, where 215 hours were registered. Napier had 228·9, Blenheim 206·2, and Masterton 205·4 hours.

Pressure Systems.—The first two days of November were fine under the influence of an anticyclone. The only other anticyclone which brought fine weather over the Dominion as a whole was one which crossed between the 15th and 17th, the remainder usually passing too far north to benefit New Zealand.

On the other hand, the month was remarkable for the number of occasions on which depressions of both westerly and cyclonic type passed over or in close proximity to the Dominion.

Between the 2nd and 5th a cyclone moved across northern New Zealand in conjunction with a deep westerly depression passing in the south. The former was responsible for heavy rain and some flooding in North Auckland, while the latter caused a strong north-west gale in Canterbury during the night of the 3rd. Amongst other damage a church spire in course of erection at Washdyke was wrecked.

On the 8th, associated with a cyclone centred west of the Auckland peninsula, strong south-easterly or easterly winds blew in the central provinces. Conditions were particularly boisterous in the Cook Strait area. Severe thunderstorms, accompanied by very heavy rains, occurred in Taranaki and the central parts of the North Island.

A series of depressions of the westerly type crossed the Dominion between the 11th and 14th and the 17th and 23rd, and, owing to the prevalence of north-westerly winds, rain during these two periods was confined chiefly to districts with a westerly aspect.