Dec. 20.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 3561

Government Meteorological Observatory.

METEOROLOGICAL observations at Kelburn, Wellington, for the Month of November, 1939. Observations taken at 9 a.m.
Altitude of Observatory, 415 ft.

Mean earth temperature at 1 ft., 59·8°; and at 3 ft., 57·1°. Number of rain days, 13. Total rainfall, 21 per cent. below normal. Sunshine 44 per cent. of the possible. Mean dew-point at 9 a.m., 49·4°; mean vapour pressure, 0·352 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.
.. | 13 | 7 | 1 | 1½ | 4 | 5 | .. | .. | 11½ | ..

NOTE.—Very boisterous weather was experienced from the 7th to 11th, with a strong north-west gale on the 10th. Gales blew again on the night of the 22nd and early morning of the 23rd. Lightning was seen on the evening of the 9th.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR NOVEMBER, 1939.

General.—The dry conditions which characterized October persisted into the middle of November, when rains began to benefit the country, but not until the end of the month were soaking rains fairly general. The dryness and coolness in the earlier part of the month checked pasture growth, and cereal crops were in a serious way with some yellowing in the wheat; but after the spell of warm rains crops and pastures made an outstanding recovery. In the south most of the wheat has responded satisfactorily and moderate yields are expected, while more especially in the north good hay crops are now assured. Further steady rain is needed to continue the spurt already made. Winds in the north were rather severe on orchards and gardens. Stock everywhere is reported to be in a healthy condition.

Rainfall.—The monthly totals were below average over most of the North Island and east of the Southern Alps, less than half the normal falling in the centre of the North Island and in South Canterbury and North Otago. On the other hand rainfall was in considerable excess in Nelson and in western Marlborough as well as over the Auckland and Coromandel Peninsulas, but only slightly in excess in Westland and parts of northern Hawke’s Bay. Flooding at the end of the month was serious in the upper half of the South Island.

Temperatures.—Although rather cool at the start, temperatures have, in most cases, as the result of the warm and humid weather later on, averaged out one or two degrees above normal. However, some negligible departures below normal were recorded in the northern half of the Auckland Province. Up to the middle of the month light ground-frosts occurred, those of the 12th and 13th doing some slight damage to gardens.

Sunshine.—Generally, sunshine figures were poor; the average was exceeded only in the far north and south. An average of over seven hours a day was recorded at Alexandra, Queenstown, Lincoln, and Auckland.

Thunderstorms.—A few thunderstorms were reported; on the 9th in Westland, on the 20th in the southern Hawke’s Bay, and also at Wyndham where a local storm was particularly severe.

Pressure Systems.—At the start of the month a deep depression was located to the south-east but pressure stayed high to the north while several slight disturbances crossed the Dominion, until an anticyclone advanced from the west towards the South Island. Although rather changeable at times the weather of the first week was fine with a predominance of westerly wind directions.

By the 7th a low-pressure trough was moving eastwards to displace the high-pressure system over the country, the first disturbance resulting in moderate rain in the south-west, but further, more active, depressions gave much-needed rain in western districts, with falls extending over Otago and the northern half of the North Island. Winds were strong with many north-westerly gales on the 9th and 10th from Otago to Taranaki. The last of the westerly depressions moved rapidly away on the 12th and scattered rains had reached most districts, the Hawke’s Bay region benefiting at last.

Temperatures, which had become warm, dropped again, due to the predominance of southerly winds associated with another anticyclone advancing across the Tasman Sea. Showers were more frequent in the regions where these winds were strongest—viz., the far north and south and about East Cape—but elsewhere the weather was mainly fair. The anticyclone centre kept to a northerly course, while some weak disturbances continued to pass in the south. By the 16th temperatures had risen considerably, especially in the east.

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