Dec. 18] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 1935

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—continued

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

NOTE.—All 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 NOVEMBER, 1947

General.—For the greater part of New Zealand November was notable for an abundance of sunshine and lack of rainfall. Shearing and haymaking are well advanced, while stock is reported to be in excellent condition. After substantial rains in October the low rainfall in the past month has had little effect on crops and pastures, chiefly due to the absence of strong drying winds.

Rainfall.—The rainfall for the country as a whole was much below average. Highest deficiencies occurred over the southern half of the North Island, where many places, including Dannevirke and Taihape, experienced their driest November for over fifty years. In the Whangarei District, however, totals were over twice the average, while slight surpluses were recorded about the Bay of Plenty and in the extreme south-west. Thunderstorms were fairly widespread in Westland, Otago, and Southland on the 7th, and in Canterbury on the 11th.

Temperatures.—Mean temperatures differed little from the average over the Auckland, Marlborough, and Nelson Provinces. Over the remainder of the South Island conditions were appreciably warmer than usual, especially east of the main ranges. Near Wellington City and in the centre of the North Island there were slight positive departures. In the Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu, and Wairarapa districts the deficiency amounted to one or two degrees.

Sunshine.—The duration of bright sunshine was, in general, far in excess of the normal. In New Plymouth and Palmerston North the surplus amounted to the equivalent of three hours a day, while new November records were established in a number of other places. In Otago and Southland totals were somewhat below average.

Weather Sequence.—During the opening days of the month pressures remained relatively high over the North Island, while the centre of an intense anticyclone progressed slowly eastwards from Canterbury. It was a period of settled weather with slowly rising temperatures. In the far south-west conditions deteriorated some days before the arrival of an active depression, whose centre crossed Southland on the morning of the 7th. In its passage across the country during the same day the associated cold front was accompanied by a belt of rain which, although very heavy in many places, was of short duration. The Canterbury Plains and South Wairarapa received none. Settled weather again became general as an anticyclone moved in from the Tasman Sea, the centre crossing Auckland on the 9th. Light or moderate westerly winds predominated.

During the 10th winds over the South Island freshened from the north-east ahead of a depression which passed rapidly south-eastward across Otago during the night. Temperatures dropped sharply, but the weather rapidly cleared again over most of the country. With the formation of a new depression near North Cape on the 11th south-easterly winds became temporarily strong, and rain developed in eastern parts of the Auckland Province. Although the depression soon moved away to the east, unsettled easterly weather persisted in this region until the 17th. A belt of high pressure dominated the weather elsewhere.

On the 17th a deep depression passed far to the south of Stewart Island. Its cold front swept north-eastwards over the country followed by cold south-westerlies. A further drop in temperatures followed the passage of a secondary cold front during the 19th. Showers persisted for a period after the passage of each front, but were chiefly confined to districts east of the main ranges and to Southland. An anticyclone which enveloped the Dominion from the 20th to the 23rd gave fine warm weather and light winds. Although the centre of the anticyclone moved off to the east, a ridge of high pressure persisted over the North Island. Northerlies prevailed, and from Canterbury and Nelson northwards fine weather continued until the 27th. Meanwhile the southern portion of the country had come under the influence of an active frontal system, in which a series of wave depressions developed. The first of the series passed away to the south on the 25th, the second crossed Southland on the following day producing only light rains there, but some heavy falls in the fiords.

A large but complex disturbance then formed west of Auckland, and rain developed in western and northern districts, becoming heavy over the Auckland Peninsula on the 28th. An eastward-moving anticyclone which was then passing south of the Dominion had appreciably lowered temperatures over the southern half of the South Island. The disturbance moved southwards on to the South Island on the 29th, while its occluded front, accompanied by a belt of heavy rain, passed slowly eastwards across the North Island. At the end of the month the disturbance was moving away to the south-east, and cold southerlies had advanced northwards as far as Cook Strait.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

RESERVE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OF THE RESERVE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND AS AT THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON WEDNESDAY, 3RD DECEMBER, 1947

• Expressed in New Zealand currency.

Proportion of reserve (No. 7 less No. 5) to notes and other demand liabilities, 60·280 per cent.

W. R. EGGERS, Chief Accountant

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