CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—continued

Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for June, 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.

WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE, 1947

General.—Depressions were very active over the New Zealand area during June, resulting in frequent and heavy rains in most places. Serious flooding occurred in South Wairarapa during the last week, when a southerly storm lashed the southern part of the North Island. In most places, however, the rains were beneficial following a dry autumn. With the exception of the heavy losses suffered in the flooded area, stock is reported to be wintering well.

An unusual feature of the month was the very high tides which were associated with a period of exceptionally low barometric pressures during the third week. The barometer reading in Wellington at 9.30 a.m. on the 21st was the lowest registered in June since readings commenced eighty-five years ago.

Rainfall.—The rainfall for the month was slightly below normal about Tolaga Bay and the Bay of Islands, elsewhere it was excessive. From Palmerston North through the Manawatu Gorge to North Wairarapa it was the wettest month in the last fifty years. The provinces of Taranaki, Wellington, and Otago all received over double the average amount, as also did South Canterbury. Central and North Otago had over three times the average.

There were many thunderstorms during the month; noteworthy were those which affected the Taranaki and Auckland Provinces on the 9th and 10th and again from the 16th to the 21st.

Temperatures.—Mean temperatures were a little below average over the central portion of the South Island; elsewhere they were about a degree or so above average.

Heavy snow fell in Central Otago and the Mackenzie Country on the 25th and 26th, while the North Island high country received a thick coating during the following two days.

Sunshine.—Although sunshine totals were above normal over North Auckland and the Bay of Plenty it was a dull month over the remainder of the country, most places having a deficiency equivalent to about an hour a day. Waipiata's total of 60·2 hours was the lowest since the sunshine recorder was installed in 1925.

Weather Sequence.—During the early part of the month an anticyclone moved slowly eastwards across the country. With the exception of occasional showers in the Gisborne district and on the Southland coast, the weather remained settled until the 6th.

The trough accompanying a depression whose centre passed close to Southland on the 7th became stationary after bringing moderate rains to the West Coast during its passage across the South Island. During the afternoon of the 8th barometers began to fall very rapidly with the formation of a vigorous depression west of Cook Strait. The centre crossed the Buller and North Canterbury districts early on the 9th. Rain was heavy and widespread, while westerlies rose to gale force for a time in many North Island districts. With winds turning to the southerly quarter as the storm moved steadily on to the south-east, the weather became changeable and showery.

East of the ranges there was a temporary improvement on the 11th, but during the night a deep depression moved on to Otago from the west, causing a rapid deterioration over the whole country. Severe thunderstorms were reported from many places in the North Island on the morning of the 12th, while a small tornado caused some local damage in an Auckland suburb.

A ridge of high pressure brought a brief clearance during the 13th. Next day a trough arrived from the west, a new depression forming as it moved across the centre of the North Island. Except in Westland, rain again became general, with south-easterly gales bringing some heavy falls to the Gisborne district. As this depression moved away to the east, another passed to the south of Southland on the 16th. Squally westerly conditions prevailed until the 20th, with pressures remaining very low to the south but relatively high to the north-west of the country. The weather was fair and mild east of the main ranges, but very changeable elsewhere with periods of heavy showers and, at times, winds of gale force. A particularly deep depression passed close to Stewart Island on the 17th, and the associated trough brought many violent thunderstorms to western districts of both North and South Islands.

A general deterioration occurred on the 20th as an exceptionally deep depression passed rapidly eastwards across the middle of the South Island. Westerlies rose to gale force over the North Island, cold southerlies later sweeping northwards as the depression moved away.

With an anticyclone near North Auckland on the 22nd there was a temporary improvement. When a cold front arrived next day from the south-west, rain developed on the West Coast. The passage of the front with its accompanying band of rain occupied the next two days, the formation of a small wave depression near Nelson causing a temporary retardation of the front and an intensification of the rain in that area.

A ridge of high pressure was advancing across the South Tasman Sea on the 25th. Pressures continued to rise steadily in the south until the 29th, by which time a very intense anticyclone had built up with its centre near Campbell Island. During this period a complex depression which formed off Westland on the 25th moved slowly north-eastwards, the centre crossing the middle of the North Island on the morning of the 26th. While it was west of the country some heavy rain fell in Westland and in the North Island, but cold southerlies following swept over the South Island bringing heavy rain to eastern districts and snow down to low levels. As the depression moved across the North Island heavy rains extended northwards to the southern half of the island. Destructive southerly gales raged about Wellington and Cook Strait on the 27th and 28th, a record gust of 96 m.p.h. being registered at Rongotai Aerodrome. Serious flooding occurred in South Wairarapa.

Although showers persisted until the 30th on the East Coast of the North Island, the weather soon cleared elsewhere. On the night of the 30th frosts were severe and widespread in both islands.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

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