286
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
[No. 23

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—continued
Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for February, 1944—continued

NOTE.—At stations where departures are in parentheses the record has been maintained for less than ten years in the case of temperatures and for less than twenty years in the case of rainfall and the normals are partly interpolated.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR FEBRUARY

General.—February was a month of mixed weather with several heavy rains. These have promoted an abundance of growth, which has been very beneficial to dairy production and to young crops for winter feed. Conditions were, however, not very favourable for harvesting grain.

Rainfall.—Many places had large rainfall totals. The Taupo - Bay of Plenty region experienced at least twice its usual amount, and new records were established near Rotorua. Several rainfalls reported in that vicinity were over 5 in. on the 22nd when Lake Rotorua and Rotoehu had falls of 9 in. Southern Taranaki and most of the Wellington Province outside the city area had rainfalls appreciably below normal. Apart from the coast from Gisborne to East Cape, the remainder of the North Island had surplus rain.

Nearly all the South Island, also, had excess rain, the country from Greymouth and Ashburton southward to Queenstown and Waipiatā had at least treble the February average, and places near the Waitaki River had exceptional surpluses of 350 per cent. The rainfall to the southward decreased, so that in Foveaux Strait and Stewart Island totals were near normal. The only other part failing to receive excess rain was the Kaikoura coast. Noteworthy were several falls over 6 in. on the 9th in Westland, including one of 12·06 in. at Wataroa.

Temperatures.—Mean temperatures were moderately above normal over the North Island, except near the Bay of Plenty and at New Plymouth. Most of the South Island was slightly cooler, Nelson and Westland, however, being somewhat warmer than normal. Humidities were frequently high throughout the month. On the 8th, light frosts were experienced in several districts.

Sunshine.—Most eastern districts had less sunshine than usual, noticeably so at Hanmer, Dunedin, and Gore, while the far north and Wanganui had appreciable excesses.

Weather Sequence.—At the beginning of the month an anticyclone moved away to the north-east. On a cold front which crossed the South Island on the 2nd and the North on the 3rd a depression developed which remained active near Westland. Ahead of the front northerly winds were strong at times, but later southerlies extended over the country. Most districts received some rain which was heaviest in Westland, but falls were substantial also in Canterbury.

A cold change advancing on the 6th was accompanied by brief showers and isolated hail in the south, but the weather soon cleared and an anticyclone spread over New Zealand on the 7th.

A trough associated with a depression to the south crossed from the west on the 9th and 10th. Northerly winds were strong in central and northern districts, with gales in Cook Strait. A deep centre which had developed off Westland caused widespread heavy rain near and west of the Alps with some floodings. Nelson and Canterbury also received a considerable amount of rain, while most of the North Island experienced moderate falls. By the 11th, except for scattered rain between Gisborne and Russell, the weather was fair.

Southerlies freshened on the 13th, there being an anticyclone over the Tasman Sea and a small depression off Gisborne. It was showery in eastern districts, but conditions rapidly improved from the south and the anticyclone moved to the east.

A cold front, which reached the South Island late on the 16th, crossed most of it the next day and then retreated. Meanwhile, an anticyclone was built up near Auckland. At first there were very heavy falls near Greymouth and Hokitika, and, later, rain extended to the Southern Sounds and Otago.

For several days a high-pressure system persisted to the east and caused a flow of warm, moist air over New Zealand. A deep depression passed Norfolk Island on the 20th, west of North Cape at noon on the 21st, and was near Southland the next morning. North-easterly winds increased throughout the Auckland Province and in many other places, and Taranaki and Nelson experienced very strong gales. Rain extended from the north, falls being heaviest over the Auckland Province. On the 22nd it became more settled over the South Island and began to improve over the North Island from the north and west. A frontal zone lying in a N.—S. direction was near Coromandel Peninsula on the night of the 21st and did not move clear of Bay of Plenty till after the 25th. This disturbance was associated with a line of thunder activity, and flood-producing rains were experienced in the Rotorua-Whakatane region.

Between the 25th and 28th a weakening cold front crossed New Zealand from the south-west and was followed by an anticyclone. Winds remained moderate and, except in isolated cases, showers were light and scattered. It was very dull on the mornings of the 27th and 28th on the east coast of the South Island.

A new cold front was crossing southern New Zealand on the 29th accompanied by occasional rain, which was heavy in South Westland.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

Public Trust Office Act, 1908, and its Amendments.—Election to administer Estates

NOTICE is hereby given that the Public Trustee has filed in the Supreme Court an election to administer in respect of the several estates of the persons deceased whose names, residences, and occupations (so far as known) are hereunder set forth:—

Public Trust Office, Wellington, 14th March, 1944.
W. G. BAIRD, Public Trustee.