720

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

No. 33

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—continued
Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for April, 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.

LATE RETURNS

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR APRIL, 1946

General.—A feature of April was the lightness of the winds. Westerlies were not much in evidence, but easterlies were strong at times in some exposed localities along the east coast and in the far north.

Substantial rains fell in districts most requiring them, but more rain is still desired in the low country from Tolaga Bay to Gisborne and in central Hawke's Bay. Pastures and supplementary crops have done well, so that the winter fodder position is satisfactory. The absence of drying wind and of sufficient sunshine has kept grass too soft, and late lambs have not fattened as well as usual. However, stock is reported to be in a very satisfactory condition.

Rainfall.—Totals for the northern portion of the Auckland Peninsula were two to three times the April normals. Mangonui, for example, received 14·07, the greatest monthly total since March, 1908. The Rotorua district had about double its normal fall. The only parts of the North Island where amounts did not quite attain the normal were about the South Taranaki Bight, between East Cape and Gisborne, and in the Wairarapa. Marlborough and most of Nelson and Canterbury had moderate surpluses, while the remainder of the South Island was deficient in rain. For Westland, the Southern Alps, and Central Otago totals were below 50 per cent. of the normal.

The most notable rains were those occurring on the 2lst, and these produced flooding in parts of the Auckland Province.

Temperatures.—Mean temperatures were below normal in all eastern districts from the Wairarapa southward and above elsewhere, but the deviations were only slight.

Sunshine.—Sunshine was better than usual in Taranaki and Westland and about average in Otago and Southland. Durations elsewhere were below average values.

Weather Sequence.—With a secondary cold front on the lst followed by a weaker one next day conditions were cold and showery in the far south-west, but only brief showers fell elsewhere. The weather became more settled on the 3rd as an anticyclone was advancing on to northern New Zealand. A weak trough arriving late on the 3rd affected only Westland and Southland, and another following twenty-four hours later also gave some rain in the same region.

The anticyclone was passing to the east as a deep depression approached central New Zealand from the north-west, and by the 6th rain was developing from the north. A cold front brought a south-easterly change up the east coast of the South Island. On the 6th and 7th rain was heavy at times in many places, especially in central districts, the main depression being off south Westland while a centre developed off Kaikoura and another one was located west of Cook Strait. During the 8th it improved north of Dannevirke and over inland Canterbury and Otago, and, although a shallow depression remained over southern districts, the improvement became more general on the 9th.

On the 10th a new depression passed south-eastward over central New Zealand, and the associated trough brought a line of thunderstorms over the North Island, while showers occurred in most districts. By the 12th an anticyclone was extending on to northern New Zealand. A cold front early on the 13th brought a short spell of southerly winds with showers up to Hawke's Bay. A small wedge followed but soon moved eastward. The front was almost stationary over the North Island, while a depression travelled eastward past northern New Zealand and an anticyclone advanced towards the South Island. Moderate rain fell in the centre and south of the North Island during the 14th and 15th, with a very intense thunderstorm at New Plymouth on the latter day. An improvement spread from the west.

The anticyclonic system was moving away to the north-east on the 18th, and with a depression travelling eastward over the North Island rain was heavy for a period. A cold front advanced up the South Island with only isolated showers. During the 20th a new anticyclone was spreading north-eastward over the country and the weather became fine.

Associated with a depression off North Cape on the 22nd and off Gisborne on the 23rd, easterlies brought very heavy rain to most of the Auckland Province, and as winds tended strong southerly rain spread to Hawke's Bay. Elsewhere it continued fair, a wedge of high pressure being over New Zealand. Behind a weak cold front on the 28th a new anticyclone built up immediately east of New Zealand. A small cell merged with it on the 27th, and the whole anticyclonic system attained a central pressure of 1,040 millibars. A depression remained to the north-west of the Dominion, and east to north-east winds were often strong in the Auckland area with rain at times, but conditions elsewhere were very settled.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

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