Feb. 21] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 261

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—continued
Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for January, 1946—continued

NOTE.—At stations where departures from normal 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. New temperature normals have been adopted.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR JANUARY, 1946

General.—January was on the whole sunny and rather cool with winds from a westerly quarter prevailing. The centres of depressions affecting this country have been passing near or more often well to the south of the South Island and although Westland, Otago, and Southland have had a wet month, rainfall has been abnormally low elsewhere and the amounts received in Auckland and Hawke’s Bay have been negligible for agricultural purposes. Exceptionally dry weather has prevailed in these provinces since October and winds have increased the seriousness of the position. Pastures have been scorched and smaller water supplies have failed and it has been difficult to find fodder and water for stock. Dairy production naturally has suffered badly except in Taranaki where satisfactory rains have fallen. In the South Island crops are promising well. Growth in many districts is still late, not having recovered fully from the unusual coldness of December.

Rainfall.—Most of Auckland and Hawke’s Bay has received far less than a quarter of the normal January fall and only about half the normal was received in Wairarapa, Nelson, Marlborough, and Canterbury. Taranaki and the Manawatu experienced only slight deficiencies. In the Tararua falls were very excessive. Amounts were above average throughout Westland, Otago, and Southland. A preliminary examination of the rainfall totals for the three months November, December, and January indicates that the low amount for the past quarter is unprecedented for several Hawke’s Bay stations with records going back more than half a century and also for the Auckland Province considered as a whole. In several individual cases however the seasons 1914–15, 1927–28, and 1934–35 were drier.

Temperatures.—Although temperatures showed a good rise above December’s values they attained normal values only in Hawke’s Bay, Nelson, and Marlborough. In western and southern districts departures were about 2° F. below normal. The east coast experienced several hot days under north-west (foehn) conditions.

Sunshine.—Westland had a dull month and the Manawatu barely reached its normal amount, otherwise sunshine was better than usual and by substantial amounts in all eastern districts from Timaru northward.

Weather Sequence.—At first moderate south-westerlies predominated with some isolated showers. A trough passing from the west on the 3rd brought light southerlies and a few scattered showers, some thunderstorms occurring in North Canterbury. A ridge which moved on to New Zealand on the 4th intensified and fair weather prevailed.

By the 6th, a frontal system reached southern New Zealand and a deterioration spread over the South Island, rain being scattered. A small depression passing over Southland gave heavier falls on the 7th and the northern portion of the front as it passed eastward over the North Island next day was associated with brief rains. Conditions soon improved, becoming mainly fair.

A depression to the south deepened and a secondary depression crossed over the Cook Strait region on the 9th with a period of rather heavy rain about its western approaches and some brief falls elsewhere. An anticyclone located to the north-west intensified and pressure began to rise slowly in the south. North-westerlies were strong at times with dull misty weather west of the Alps with occasional rain. Temperatures were very warm on the east coast on the 11th and 12th. A shallow disturbance off Canterbury late on the 12th brought temporarily cooler temperatures. Apart form some scattered morning drizzle, fair anticyclonic conditions prevailed.

Early on the 15th a cold front began to move north-eastward over the South Island. Conditions were dull in Westland with some rain and a few showers occurred in Southland and Otago. Pressure rose temporarily in the south, but an active depression passing south-eastward on the 17th gave heavy rain in south-western districts and north-westerly winds were strong in many places. The associated cold front advanced on the 18th and a small depression forming off Canterbury turned winds more to the south and brought moderate rain to central districts, but falls were very heavy in the Tararua. The front weakened as it proceeded further northward and an anticyclone spread over New Zealand, the 20th becoming fair generally.

The passage of a warm front across the South Island on the 22nd was associated by much cloud and some drizzle. A cold front soon after swept over New Zealand, strong north-westerlies changing to fresh south-westerlies. Rain was heavy in western districts of the South Island and also about the Tararua and most other places except on the east coast of the North Island received a little rain.

Settled conditions were established by the 24th, an anticyclone centred to the north-west then covering the Dominion. The 25th was a very clear day.

A depression moved past south-western New Zealand late on the 26th and northerlies strengthened. As the associated trough moved over, most places experienced a period of rain which was heavy in western districts from Taranaki southward. There was a sharp change to south-westerly winds after which winds moderated and with a belt of high pressure over New Zealand on the 27th the weather improved. A trough passing on the 30th gave heavy rain in South Westland and scattered falls in adjoining regions. A frontal zone over the South Island on the 31st caused some further rain in southern districts but fair conditions persisted in the north.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

Notice to Mariners No. 6 of 1946

Marine Department,
Wellington, 19th February, 1946.

NEW ZEALAND—NORTH ISLAND—EAST COAST

Tutukaka Head Light

THE latitude given in Notice to Mariners No. 4 of 1946 should be altered to read 35° 36·6′ S.

W. C. SMITH, Secretary.

(M 3/3/267.)

Appointment of Deputy District Public Trustee

NOTICE is hereby given that, in pursuance of the power and authority vested in me by section 3 of the Public Trust Office Amendment Act, 1921–22, I, the Public Trustee of the Dominion of New Zealand, have appointed Rollo Gray, of the Public Trust Office, Dunedin, to be deputy of the District Public Trustee, Dunedin, during the absence of such District Public Trustee from his head-quarters from any cause, and all previous Warrants appointing any deputy of the said District Public Trustee have been revoked.

Dated at Wellington, this 19th day of February, 1946.

W. G. BAIRD, Public Trustee.