918

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

[No. 41

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—continued
Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for June, 1948—continued

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.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR JUNE, 1948

General.—On the whole June was a favourable month. Although several depressions passed over or close to New Zealand, the storm of the 28th was the only one to reach dangerous proportions, and it travelled too rapidly to cause any appreciable damage. In the South Island, due to low rainfall and only light frosts, the soil remained workable, while autumn-sown crops are doing well. In central districts of the North Island feed is very scarce following the autumn drought, but elsewhere stock is in good condition.

Rainfall.—Over the greater part of the North Island rainfall was somewhat below average, except near Cape Kidnappers and north of a line from Wairoa to Rotorua. Slight excesses were also recorded near Nelson and in parts of Southland. Totals were below half the average in North Otago and in most of Canterbury and Marlborough.

Temperatures.—Mean temperatures were slightly above average in Nelson and in the area from Taranaki across to the Bay of Plenty. Departures elsewhere were negative, but were only of the order of one degree. Except in the Auckland Province frosts were fewer in number and less severe than usual.

Sunshine.—In the Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne districts the duration of bright sunshine was more than an hour a day below the average. The West Coast had a slight excess, but elsewhere totals differed little from the average.

Weather Sequence.—For a start it was fine in the east but changeable and showery elsewhere. On the 3rd a cold southerly change over the South Island brought some rain, followed by a rapid clearance. In Southland, however, there were occasional showery periods due to the passage of weak disturbances far to the south. The North Island came under the influence of a complex depression moving north-eastwards out of the Central Tasman Sea, and rain became widespread over Wellington and North Auckland during the 4th. When the centre passed North Cape on the 5th rain had reached the Gisborne District and later extended southwards to Banks Peninsula and coastal Otago. A very intense anticyclone over the South Island had given fine frosty weather to Nelson and the West Coast since the 4th. The clearance soon extended to other districts, but changeable showery weather persisted from Banks Peninsula to East Cape, while the passage of a weak front on the 9th was accompanied by some rain and drizzle south of Christchurch.

An extensive high-pressure system still enveloped the Dominion on the 12th. A cold front then began to move northwards from Southland, a band of rain accompanying it up the east coast. Forming west of Auckland a small depression travelled north-eastwards and passed away beyond North Cape. North Auckland and Gisborne were most affected, but rainfall in these districts was not heavy.

Clear cold weather prevailed over the greater part of the country from the 15th to the 18th as a large anticyclone moved in from the west and gradually intensified.

North-easterly winds prevailed on the 19th as the anticyclone began to move off to the east. The weather then deteriorated rapidly with the approach of a complex depression from the North Tasman Sea, whose centre crossed Otago on the 21st. Rainfall was widespread but not excessive, only negligible amounts penetrating east of the ranges. A temporary improvement on the 22nd followed a change to south-westerlies.

With the approach of another large depression from the north-west on the 24th winds returned to the northerly quarter, and widespread rain again developed. One centre crossed the Wellington Province on the morning of the 24th. It passed over the Chatham Islands twenty-four hours later when a secondary centre speeding on an easterly course was over Rotorua. Conditions improved temporarily on the 26th, although showers occurred in many places.

A deep disturbance approached rapidly from the west on the 27th, the centre being close to Southland by that afternoon. Another centre farther to the north deepened considerably and, moving rapidly eastwards, crossed North Taranaki and Hawke’s Bay during the evening of the 28th. During its passage heavy rain fell in the North Island. South-westerlies then prevailed, increasing to gale force in many places north of Cook Strait.

The next anticyclone headed to the north of New Zealand, while a very deep depression passed far to the south. Winds decreased somewhat, but changeable south-westerly conditions persisted, the weather being showery in western and southern districts of the South Island but mainly fine elsewhere.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

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