656

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 18

Government Meteorological Observatory.

METEOROLOGICAL Observations at Kelburn, Wellington, for the Month of February, 1937. Observations taken at 9 a.m.

Altitude of Observatory, 415 ft.

Mean earth temperature at 1 ft., 63·1°; and at 3 ft., 62·6°. Number of rain days, 11. Total rainfall, 53 per cent. above normal. Sunshine, 51 per cent. of possible; three sunless days. Mean dew-point at 9 a.m., 50·1°; mean vapour pressure, 0·361 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.

.. | 9 | 5½ | .. | 2 | 6 | 3 | .. | 4 | 7½ | ..

NOTE.—On the 10th a north-west gale was experienced. Light hail fell on the 14th, and on the 25th and 26th there were morning fogs.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR FEBRUARY, 1937.

General.—Though there were no very violent storms the weather during February was unsettled and very cold for the time of year. The total rain was much below normal in the northern and eastern portions of the North Island, but there was sufficient in most places to keep the soil moist. In Hawke’s Bay and the Gisborne districts, however, the westerly winds accentuated the rainfall failure and dry conditions prevailed. Stock are generally in good condition, but have done rather better in the areas where the rainfall was low than elsewhere. It was too cold for animals really to thrive well, and in much of the South Island the softness of the feed has led to various digestive troubles and considerable losses of lambs. The milk-yield is being well maintained. In Taranaki and the Manawatu the heavy rains were confined, principally, to a few days towards the end of the month, but in the South Island they began earlier and produced adverse conditions for harvesting, which has been delayed somewhat. In parts of Canterbury there are signs of sprouting of wheat in some of the crops. Several frosts were experienced, and these, combined with the general lack of warmth, were unfavourable to many small crops. Tomatoes, in particular, have suffered considerably. There is still an abundance of pasture, and supplies of winter feed are assured for most districts.

Rainfall.—In Taranaki, western Wellington, and the whole of the South Island, with the exception of a portion of North Canterbury, the month was a very wet one indeed. Most of Taranaki and Nelson had between two and three times the normal rainfall, while in parts of Otago and Southland even greater departures were experienced. Hawke’s Bay and much the greater part of the Auckland Province had very low totals. In the Wairarapa conditions were more varied, but the departures from average generally small.

Temperatures.—The month was one of the coldest Februaries hitherto experienced. Mean temperatures were everywhere much below normal, the departures increasing from about two degrees in the far North to about four at Wellington and over most of the South Island.

Sunshine.—At most places there was less sunshine than usual, though where the rainfall was below average the sunshine differed little therefrom. Tauranga had 220·1 hours and Napier and Lake Tekapo each 218·8.

Pressure Systems.—The month began with a fine spell while an anticyclone passed slowly eastwards across the country. From the 6th to the 8th there came a series of westerly depressions the effects of which were felt mainly in the South Island, heavy rain falling in western and southern districts. After a very brief interval a fresh and a very long series began to pass. As the first of these depressions, a rather intense one, approached on the 10th, north-westerly gales occurred in the middle portion of the Dominion. By the 11th winds had changed to west or south-west, and from that date until the 18th winds from