CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—continued

Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for March, 1947—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.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR MARCH, 1947

General.—March was a pleasant month, notable for the high proportion of bright sunny days and light winds. Although there was very little rain over most of the country, many heavy dews, combined with the absence of wind, prevented pastures from becoming seriously parched. In general, conditions were very favourable for farming. Harvesting, however, has been delayed in Canterbury by the lack of drying winds.

Rainfall.—In the North Island, rainfall totals were above normal about Gisborne, on the east coast of the Wellington Province, and from Hamilton northwards over the southern half of the Auckland Peninsula. Over the remainder of the Island the rainfall was below normal, with highest deficiencies in North Taranaki.

With few exceptions the South Island was very dry. Along the Kaikoura Coast and in the Ashburton District rain towards the end of the month managed to bring the total up to the average. Most of the provinces of Otago, Southland, and Westland received less than a fifth of the average for March.

Temperatures.—In the North Island mean temperatures were above normal, except in North Auckland, the eastern portion of the Wellington Province, and in parts of Hawke’s Bay. Departures were of the order of one degree.

Central Otago and the West Coast were from two to four degrees warmer than the average. Temperatures over the rest of the South Island were also above average. There were widespread frosts in the South Island on the 22nd and 28th.

Sunshine.—Over most of the country the duration of sunshine was above average. Palmerston North was particularly well favoured in this respect, while Invercargill experienced the sunniest March since records commenced in 1913. The totals for Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, and also for parts of Canterbury, were slightly deficient.

Weather Sequence.—The month opened with fine warm weather, as an anticyclone moved slowly eastwards across the country.

On the 4th winds freshened temporarily in the south ahead of a cold front, which brought some rain to Westland and Southland. The front rapidly weakened as it moved slowly north-eastwards. Winds changed to cool south-easterlies, and an anticyclone advanced on to the South Island.

A spell of settled weather and light winds followed, although skies were cloudy at times and morning fogs were fairly general. Over Canterbury, in particular, the fogs were regular and persistent.

Shallow troughs moved eastwards across the South Island on the 9th and on the 11th. The former brought local heavy rains to the south-western Sounds, but elsewhere neither trough produced more than a few showers, which were confined to the area south of Westport and Dunedin.

An anticyclone intensified rapidly over the South Island on the 12th, while a depression deepened east of the Chatham Islands. Dull misty weather developed along the east coast, and southerly winds became strong between Cook Strait and East Cape.

On the 14th the centre of the anticyclone lay to the east of the South Island. A deep and extensive cyclonic depression which had moved down from the tropics was then centred near Norfolk Island. Showers occurred in the Gisborne area and along the east coast of the Auckland and Coromandel Peninsulas on the 14th and 15th, while easterly winds became strong in the north. The cyclone, however, did nothing further to relieve the dry conditions prevailing over the country, for it became stationary and rapidly weakened, though not filling up finally until the 20th. In the South Island, during this period, a weak trough which passed eastwards across the southern portion on the 14th caused brief rain in South Westland and Southland. Similar, but even weaker troughs, on the 15th and 19th brought only scattered showers. Fogs were widespread on the mornings of the 17th and 18th.

Most places experienced a period of rain as a cold front moved slowly north-eastwards across the country during the 21st and 22nd. The anticyclone following brought a rapid clearance to the South Island, and frosts were widespread on the night of the 22nd.

With the development of a depression to the north-west of North Cape, barometers began to fall steadily on the 23rd. Easterly winds rose to gale force in the Auckland District, and rain spread southwards over the whole of the North Island. On the following day the deterioration extended to the South Island, with the exception of Southland and South Westland. The weather improved again in Nelson on the 25th, but elsewhere conditions remained unsettled as the northern depression began to move slowly down the Auckland Peninsula. Continuing on a south-eastward course the centre passed Napier early on the morning of the 26th. That night there were strong southerly gales locally about Cook Strait, but conditions gradually moderated thereafter.

As the depression moved slowly away to the east, an anticyclone spread from the Tasman Sea across the South Island, later extending over the whole country and becoming stationary. Changeable showery weather persisted in the Gisborne and Northern Hawke’s Bay Districts until the 30th, but for most of the Dominion the month ended with three days of brilliantly fine weather.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

Sitting of the Native Land Court at Tauranga on the 20th May, 1947

Office of the Native Land Court, Rotorua, 21st April, 1947.

NOTICE is hereby given that the matters mentioned in the Schedule hereunder will be heard by the Native Land Court sitting at Tauranga on Tuesday, the 20th day of May, 1947, or as soon thereafter as the business of the Court will allow.

J. J. DILLON, Deputy Registrar.

SCHEDULE