JUNE 23] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 1409

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—continued
Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for May, 1949—continued

LATE RETURNS

| Jackson’s Bay, April, 1949 | 22 | 57·1 | 43·8 | 50·4 | —3·1 | 63·8 | 27 | 35·2 | 13 | 10·60 | 14 | (—4·82) | 1·80 | 8 | .. |
| Lake Tekapo, April, 1949 | 2,350 | 59·7 | 31·9 | 45·8 | —3·0 | 67·0 | 2 | 24·0 | 13 | 3·66 | 7 | +1·61 | 2·50 | 30 | .. |

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 MAY, 1949

General.—Settled weather associated with two unusually large, slow-moving anticyclones predominated during May. Two troughs separating the anticyclones were, however, very active and produced heavy rain in districts with a north-easterly aspect. Pasture growth has been well maintained and stock is reported to be in good condition. For the Dominion as a whole the mean barometric pressure was higher than in any other May since records commenced eighty-seven years ago.

Rainfall.—Rainfall was above normal in the provinces of Nelson and Auckland (except the western part), and in central and northern Hawkes Bay. Heavy rains came with north-easterly winds, but were confined to two periods, the first from the 7th to 10th and the second from the 24th to 28th. In the first period the Rotorua-Taupo area was chiefly affected, the 8th being the wettest day for over forty years. Nelson, particularly the Takaka District, suffered most during the second period. The five-day total at Bainham, amounting to 23·39 in., set a new record for this station. The Takaka District has not had a wetter May for over thirty years. Canterbury, Southland, and Wairarapa had only about half the average rainfall.

Temperatures.—Mean temperatures in the Rangitikei District were almost 2° above normal. Elsewhere, with a few isolated exceptions, they were within 1° (plus or minus) of the normal.

Sunshine.—Over most of the country there was much less sunshine than usual. The greater part of the Auckland and Hawkes Bay provinces were an hour a day short of the average; in Canterbury the deficiency was only slightly smaller. Westland had a substantial excess. Totals were also above normal in coastal districts of Otago and Southland, and around the South Taranaki Bight.

Weather Sequence.—At the beginning of the month an anticyclone enveloped the Dominion, highest pressures being over the South Island. Calm, sunny conditions prevailed, except in eastern districts of the North Island where south-easterly winds and dull, wet weather had set in.

There was little change until the anticyclone had moved off to the east on the 7th. Winds then began to freshen from the north with the approach of an active trough from the Tasman Sea; rain soon became general. Several low-pressure centres formed within the trough during its passage across the Dominion culminating in exceptionally heavy rainfall in the middle of the North Island on the 8th. On the morning of the 10th the main centre was moving off towards the Chatham Islands while a shallow, though still active centre, was filling up over South Auckland. Strong southerlies advanced rapidly northwards and some snow fell on the high country.

With the approach of a large anticyclone from the west the weather began to improve on the 11th. A few further showers fell in eastern districts during the northward advance of a cold front. Becoming stationary near Auckland City the front produced cloudy, showery weather in this locality from the 13th to the 17th. For the greater part of the Dominion, the 13th marked the beginning of a long spell of brilliantly fine weather which continued until the 25th, barometers remaining consistently high throughout the period. Radiation fogs were rather prevalent in some districts. In contrast, the area north of the Waikato came under the influence of a shallow disturbance in the North Tasman Sea and, apart from a temporary clearance during the 17th, easterly winds persisted with rain falling intermittently from overcast skies. Some brief rain also fell in western districts south of Wanganui during the passage of a depression far to the south on the 16th.

After its prolonged sojourn over the Dominion the anticyclone began to move off to the east on the 23rd. Winds turned to the north-east and rain developed in the west and north with the approach of a deep and slow-moving trough. Several low-pressure centres formed within this trough, but none deepened to any extent. The associated frontal system was, however, very active and during its leisurely passage across the country produced widespread heavy rain. Local flooding occurred in the Takaka District as a result of five days of almost continuous rain.

Advancing from the South Tasman Sea on to the South Island, a wedge brought fair weather to Westland and Southland on the 29th. It also became fair for a time in Nelson, Taranaki, and Auckland, until a shallow depression which had been for some days almost stationary west of the Auckland Peninsula began to move slowly towards Taranaki; then rain and drizzle again set in. Meanwhile cold, wet weather continued on the east coast due to a depression which had developed near East Cape on the 29th and had later moved slowly southwards.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

(M.O.N.Z. 107)

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