AUG. 21] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 1027

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—continued

Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for July, 1947—continued

| Station. | Height of Station above M.S.L. | Means of | Mean A Max. | Mean B Min. | Difference from Normal. | Absolute Maximum and Minimum. | Maximum. Date. | Minimum. Date. | Rainfall in Inches. | Total Fall. | No. of Wet Days. | Difference from Normal. | Maximum Fall. Amount. Date. | Bright Sun-shine. |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Molesworth, June, 1947 | 2,930 | 44·2 | 27·9 | 36·0 | (+0·4) | 53·0 | 7 | 19·0 | 6 | 4·16 | 10 | (+1·83) | 0·80 | 8 | .. |
| Akaroa, May, 1947 | 150 | 57·5 | 43·8 | 50·6 | (+0·2) | 72·8 | 8 | 37·5 | 26 | 1·52 | 10 | (−5·55) | 0·29 | 22 | 116·4 |
| Akaroa, June, 1947 | 150 | 52·0 | 40·6 | 46·3 | (−0·1) | 61·8 | 7 | 33·0 | 14 | 7·04 | 19 | (+1·63) | 1·40 | 8 | 67·0 |
| The Hermitage, June, 1947 | 2,510 | 43·8 | 29·1 | 36·4 | +0·0 | 56·0 | 7 | 12·0 | 30 | 14·35 | 19 | +2·62 | 2·50 | 23 | 43·2 |
| Milford Sound, June, 1947 | 20 | 49·6 | 36·0 | 42·8 | (+0·6) | 59·0 | 6 | 27·5 | 30 | 25·06 | 17 | (+11·00) | 4·30 | 22 | .. |

LATE RETURNS

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 JULY, 1947

General.—The most noteworthy feature of July's weather was the succession of active depressions which crossed the Auckland Province, resulting in frequent and at times heavy rains in this region. A spell of westerly weather occurred in the middle of the month when two deep depressions passed close to Southland.

On the whole it was a good winter month for farmers. Stock is in good condition and, although frosts were frequent in the South Island, the abundance of sunshine has, in most places, prevented the soil from becoming unworkable. Autumn-sown wheat is reported to be coming on well.

Rainfall.—Only in the Auckland Province, excluding the Raglan-Waikato districts, was the total rainfall above average. North of Gisborne and about the Coromandel Peninsula over double the average was recorded, while Mangawai, with a total of 11·34 in., had its wettest month since observations began in 1917. On the other hand South Canterbury and most of Otago experienced their driest month for over fifty years. At several stations no measurable rainfall was recorded during the month. In North Canterbury, too, it was a very dry month.

Temperatures.—In Central Otago, Southland, and the Canterbury Plains mean temperatures were slightly below normal. Elsewhere they were above normal, although in most places by only small amounts. Greatest excesses of almost two degrees occurred in the interior of the North Island.

There was snow down to sea level in the south on the 17th, 28th, and 30th, but falls were light.

Sunshine.—The total sunshine was above normal over most of the South Island. Although a few persistent fogs kept it below normal in Central Otago, the remainder of the province, and Canterbury as well, enjoyed considerable excesses. July records for sunshine were broken at Ashburton, Christchurch, Hanmer Springs, and Lincoln. Wellington also had a sunny month, but conditions elsewhere in the North Island were below normal, greatest deficiencies being reported from eastern parts of the Auckland Province.

Weather Sequence.—On the 1st an anticyclone covered most of the Dominion, but a depression was approaching from the North Tasman Sea. Rain developed over the Auckland Province, later extending to North Taranaki and down the East Coast of the North Island. The depression crossed North Auckland on the morning of 3rd and moved away steadily eastwards. The heaviest rainfalls were near the Coromandel Peninsula, where some local flooding occurred. In the South Island, meanwhile, the weather had been fine though frosty. On the 5th, however, light rain began to fall in South Westland with the development of a complex disturbance in the Central Tasman Sea. During the approach of this disturbance an intense anticyclone remained almost stationary to the east of the country.

From the 5th to the 10th skies were mainly cloudy east of the South Island ranges, morning fogs being common, but elsewhere this was a period of dull unsettled weather and intermittent rain. Some substantial falls were reported from the Auckland Province, especially about the Bay of Plenty.

On the 12th a depression from the Tasman Sea was centred over the Auckland Peninsula, while another had formed south-east of Cook Strait. After giving further rain to the northern and eastern parts of the North Island, the former moved rapidly away to the south-east. Conditions improved generally on the 13th.

The anticyclone which followed took a more northerly course, the centre being located midway between Norfolk Island and North Cape on the morning of the 14th. Barometers were then falling in the south with the approach of a trough from the west, and rain had commenced in South Westland. A new depression deepened rapidly and sped south-eastwards past Southland on the morning of the 15th. Later in the day the trough itself swept eastwards across the country, but no rain was reported east of the main ranges.

A ridge of high pressure gave brief improvement, but rain developed again in Westland on the 16th with the approach of a very deep depression from the South Tasman Sea, the centre of which passed Southland early on the following morning. The associated cold front gave little rain east of the South Island ranges, though most places had heavy rain and in many cases thunderstorms during its passage. Strong south-westerlies and cold showery weather followed, snow falling in Otago and Southland, but the weather soon cleared again in the east.

On the 20th a depression was located off Westland. Taking a rather unusual course it moved northwards, crossed North Cape on the morning of the 22nd, and later moved away slowly to the east. Accompanying the depression a band of rain spread northwards over the North Island, and for the next few days conditions remained unsettled and showery over the North Auckland, Coromandel, and Gisborne districts. Elsewhere there was a rapid clearance as an anticyclone built up over the South Island, the weather remaining fine until the 25th except in Southland where the passage of a weak trough on the 21st was attended by a few showers.

During the 26th a shallow trough moved eastwards across the country, a depression forming next day east of Marlborough. Light rain fell in most places, and some showers persisted on the 27th. On the 28th it was fine generally.

During the 29th rain developed in the far north, later extending over the northern half of the Island as a depression moved south-eastwards across Auckland and the Bay of Plenty. On the following day a weak secondary depression crossed North Auckland, while a cold front advanced rapidly over the South Island, followed by cold showery south-westerlies. Next morning there was a rapid improvement as the front moved north-eastwards off the country.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

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