APRIL 23.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1003

Government Meteorological Observatory.

METEOROLOGICAL Observations at Kelburn, Wellington, for the Month of March, 1941. Observations taken at 9 a.m.

Altitude of Observatory, 415 ft.

Mean earth temperature at 1 ft., 64·3°; and at 3 ft., 63·5°. Number of rain days, 15. Total rainfall, 60 per cent. above normal. Sunshine, 46 per cent. of the possible, four days without any bright sunshine being registered. Mean dew-point, 55·1°; mean vapour pressure, 14·7 mb.

Note.—One gale was recorded on the 6th, and a very strong squally wind on the 27th. There was a slight fog on the morning of the 19th.

DIRECTION OF WIND.

Gale (force 8 or more). Forces N. N.E. E. S.E. S. S.W. W. N.W. Calm.
.. | 9 | 7½ | 4 | ½ | 2 | 6½ | ½ | .. | 6 | 4

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR MARCH, 1941.

General Notes.—March was a mild month with pleasant weather for the first twelve days and a sustained unsettled spell thereafter. Heavy rains alleviated the effect of the predominantly dry conditions in eastern districts and everywhere good autumn growth is assured. Especially in the north, pastures are making phenomenal growth, and root crops are making a fair recovery from drought and moth and insect damage. The softened ground has enabled seasonal cultivation to proceed apace, and heavy autumn wheat sowings are expected.

Rainfall.—Except on the west coast of the South Island and in Southland, rainfall was in excess. In parts of Taranaki and south Auckland falls exceeded double the average, while between Blenheim and Dunedin there were many places with three or four times average falls. For these it was the wettest March and, in some cases, the wettest of any month for a considerable number of years. As the rains began with a light drizzle, a fair amount of water soaked into the parched ground, but there was extensive flooding. Several stations had over 6 in. of rain within twenty-four hours. Numerous thunderstorms occurred over the North Island during the 17th.

Temperatures.—Mean temperatures were above normal almost generally. There were some sultry days in the earlier part of the month, and towards the end there were one or two light frosts in sheltered inland localities.

Sunshine.—As a result of the very bright spell of weather followed by a very dull period the duration of sunshine was fairly close to normal, there being no general significant trend in the departures.

Weather Sequence.—The spell of settled weather prevailing at the end of February lasted until the 12th March, with only one brief interruption on the 6th caused by the passage of a weak disturbance separating the two anti-cyclones responsible for the fine weather.

A disturbance arriving from the north-west on the 13th gave a good deal of rain in western and central districts. On the 16th a cyclonic depression of tropical origin moved southward past Norfolk Island, and, as it deepened, easterly winds freshened, steady drizzle and rain set in over eastern districts of the South Island, and heavy rain extended from the north over the North Island. Prolonged rain in Canterbury gave rise to considerable flooding, but it eased on the 19th, the depression being south of Chatham Islands on the following day.

During the 20th a weak anticyclone, a narrow ridge between two depressions, moved on to the South Island causing a gradual decrease in the strong south-westerlies prevailing, while the weather remained rather changeable. On the 22nd the next extensive depression affected the Dominion with general rain extending from the north. Showers persisted in Taranaki and Auckland, while the weather continued thick and wet on the east coast of the South Island, with extensive flooding in North Canterbury, the rain gradually easing on the 25th.

There followed a deep westerly depression with the result that fine, warm weather prevailed in the east, whereas a showery period was experienced elsewhere. Conditions became fair to fine almost generally, but a cyclonic depression near Kermadec Islands on the 30th resulted in a freshening of southerly winds over the Auckland Peninsula, and some drizzle fell in the East Cape region. A weak disturbance crossing the South Island on the 31st gave only scattered light rain in the far south.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

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