SEPT. 22.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2093

Government Meteorological Observatory.

METEOROLOGICAL Observations at Kelburn, Wellington, for the Month of August, 1938. Observations taken at 9 a.m.

Altitude of Observatory, 415 ft.

Mean earth temperature at 1 ft., 46·8° ; and at 3 ft., 47·8°. Number of rain days, 13. Total rainfall, 78 per cent. above normal. Sunshine, 46 per cent. of the possible. Mean dew-point at 9 a.m., 41·8° ; mean vapour pressure, 0·264 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.
.. | 12 | 5 | 3 | 1½ | 3½ | 4 | ½ | .. | 8½ | 5

NOTE.—Remarkably heavy hail fell on the 2nd and the 9th. A few flakes of snow fell on the 5th. North-west gales occurred on the 9th to 10th and on the 15th.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR AUGUST, 1938.

General.—August was a much better month than June or July. After the first ten days conditions were mild for winter and some dry and sunny weather improved the outlook generally. Unfortunately, at the end of the month there was some setback with a renewal of dull and wet weather. The condition of stock and pastures varies considerably from district to district, but, on the whole, it is less favourable than usual. Though vegetation is showing signs of growth it has not completely recovered from the cold and wet of the earlier months, and the season is somewhat backward. In most of Otago and Southland there is still a shortage of moisture. In other districts the soil is generally saturated and farm work is being interfered with. This state of affairs is particularly marked in the Auckland Province. The lambing season appears unlikely to be so good as last year’s.

Rainfall.—Rainfall was much above normal over the northern half of the North Island, numbers of places recording double the average or more. In the southern half of the North Island the average was exceeded only about Wellington. In the South Island it was a wet month in and west of the ranges but dry in eastern districts, especially from Canterbury southwards. There were places in Central Otago which had no rain at all.

Temperature.—Cold weather continued from July over the first few days of August, but after the 4th there was a warmer spell. Another cold snap followed but from the 10th it was mild for the time of the year. The mean temperature for the month was everywhere above average, though the departures were generally quite small. Frosts were moderately frequent but confined generally to the surface layers and there was no really severe cold. The amount of snow on the ranges decreased considerably.

Sunshine.—The amount of bright sunshine was above average in the extreme north and south and considerably so, also, in Canterbury and Otago. Elsewhere it was well below average. Alexandra had 178·3 hours and Nelson 177·1 hours.

Pressure Systems.—At the beginning of the month a shallow depression was centred west of Auckland. This moved eastward but was followed by a similar and rather deeper one on the 4th. These were responsible for winds from an easterly or south-easterly quarter and dull, cold weather. There was widespread heavy rain over the North Island, and snow on the high levels. On the early morning of the 4th a light fall of snow was experienced at Rotorua. Some flooding occurred in the Auckland and Hawke’s Bay Provinces.

There followed a change in the type of weather. Previously, a long series of cyclonic depressions had formed off the west coast producing conditions similar to those described above. Now, however, the anticyclonic centres began to take a more northerly path and the depressions which developed were of the westerly type. Of these, a deep one passed on the 9th to 10th. It was accompanied by a severe northerly gale which did much damage from Taranaki and Hawke’s Bay southward to Westland and Canterbury. Telephone, telegraph, and power lines were interrupted, and trees and fences suffered considerably. Rain was general with many heavy falls, especially in western districts.

From the 14th to the 19th further westerly depressions passed. One on the 18th developed a centre of low pressure over the Cook Strait area and was responsible for some heavy rain. Wellington had a torrential downpour with much hail. A very fine spell followed with anticyclonic conditions ruling over the Dominion. A series of depressions was, however, crossing the north Tasman Sea. These gradually became more intense and extended further southward. On the 27th the sky was

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