22 Dec.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
2087
CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—continued
Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for November 1954—continued
| Station | Height of Station M.S.L. | Means of A Max. | Mean B Min. | Difference From Normal | Absolute Maximum and Minimum | Air Temperatures in Degrees (Fahrenheit) | Total Fall | No. of Rain Days | Difference From Normal | Maximum Fall | Bright Sun- shine |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | Ft. | °F. | °F. | °F. | (+3·5) | 86·2 | 29 | 38·2 | In. | (−0·82) | 0·29 | 25 | |
| Ashley Forest | 460 | 68·3 | 49·8 | 59·0 | (+3·5) | 86·2 | 29 | 38·2 | 4 | 1·64 | 12 | (−0·82) | 0·29 | 25 | |
| Darfield | 640 | 71·7 | 49·2 | 60·4 | +5·4 | 85·6 | 20 | 35·3 | 4 | 2·03 | 12 | −0·40 | 0·83 | 25 | |
| Harewood | 94 | 68·9 | 50·3 | 59·6 | .. | 84·1 | 7 | 38·5 | 9 | 1·25 | 10 | .. | 0·29 | 7 | 164·9 |
| Christchurch | 22 | 69·7 | 50·6 | 60·2 | +3·9 | 84·0 | 23 | 37·8 | 4 | 1·05 | 10 | −0·77 | 0·32 | 7 | |
| Wigram | 74 | 69·2 | 50·1 | 59·6 | (+3·2) | 83·0 | 7 | 38·8 | 10 | 1·63 | 10 | (−0·09) | 0·28 | 7 | |
| Akaroa | 150 | 69·3 | 51·1 | 60·2 | +3·1 | 80·0 | 7 | 42·0 | 9 | 2·34 | 9 | (+0·06) | 0·65 | 17 | 189·7 |
| Lincoln | 36 | 71·1 | 48·0 | 59·6 | +4·5 | 89·8 | 7 | 35·7 | 4 | 2·07 | 12 | +0·17 | 0·47 | 17 | 194·8 |
| Highbank | 1,102 | 66·5 | 49·4 | 58·0 | .. | 76·2 | 15 | 39·3 | 20 | 2·34 | 11 | .. | 0·93 | 25 | 192·6 |
| The Hermitage | 2,510 | 64·7 | 45·8 | 55·2 | +3·8 | 79·0 | 10 | 34·0 | 4 | 9·30 | 16 | −5·01 | 3·50 | 23 | 175·1 |
| Winchmore | 525 | 70·2 | 48·3 | 59·2 | (+4·9) | 85·0 | 11 | 33·2 | 20 | 1·61 | 9 | (−0·73) | 0·92 | 25 | .. |
| Haast | 15 | 62·1 | 50·8 | 56·4 | (+2·4) | 68·0 | 18,26 | 42·0 | 26 | 12·74 | 18 | (−0·15) | 2·02 | 9 | 133·7 |
| Ashburton | 323 | 73·9 | 50·1 | 62·0 | +6·3 | 89·8 | 11 | 35·4 | 20 | 1·80 | 9 | −0·65 | 0·72 | 25 | 172·9 |
| Fairlie | 1,004 | 70·3 | 44·5 | 57·4 | +3·7 | 87·5 | 12 | 36·0 | 19 | 2·48 | 8 | +0·09 | 1·13 | 17 | .. |
| Timaru | 56 | 69·7 | 50·5 | 60·1 | +4·6 | 88·8 | 29 | 43·1 | 26 | 2·40 | 11 | +0·45 | 1·19 | 17 | 168·3 |
| Adair | 200 | 66·7 | 50·0 | 58·4 | (+4·4) | 86·2 | 29 | 43·5 | 18 | 3·13 | 12 | (+1·07) | 1·53 | 17 | .. |
| Tara Hills, Omarama | 1,600 | 70·5 | 44·4 | 57·4 | (+4·0) | 83·2 | 14 | 29·6 | 4 | 0·83 | 7 | (−0·66) | 0·35 | 17 | 197·3 |
| Milford Sound | 20 | 61·6 | 49·7 | 55·6 | +3·3 | 72·6 | 22 | 42·4 | 4 | 23·82 | 21 | −0·24 | 3·52 | 24 | .. |
| Waimate | 200 | 69·9 | 49·7 | 59·8 | +4·4 | 85·3 | 29 | 42·9 | 26 | 2·69 | 12 | +0·52 | 0·99 | 17 | 157·7 |
| Naseby | 2,300 | 67·2 | 41·8 | 54·5 | .. | 80·2 | 11 | 28·1 | 4 | 1·65 | 10 | .. | 0·48 | 17 | .. |
| Frankton Airfield | 1,144 | 69·1 | 46·8 | 58·0 | .. | 78·5 | 14 | 33·0 | 4 | 0·69 | 6 | .. | 0·30 | 23 | .. |
| Queenstown | 1,100 | 68·4 | 48·4 | 58·4 | +4·5 | 80·1 | 12 | 36·6 | 4 | 1·07 | 11 | −1·65 | 0·45 | 23 | 211·0 |
| Cromwell | 720 | 73·4 | 49·3 | 61·4 | (+6·0) | 86·4 | 13 | 36·1 | 4 | 0·37 | 6 | (−0·85) | 0·19 | 9 | .. |
| Ophir | 1,000 | 71·0 | 46·0 | 58·5 | +4·3 | 84·2 | 14 | 28·3 | 4 | 0·80 | 5 | −0·53 | 0·23 | 17 | .. |
| Earnscleugh | 500 | 71·8 | 45·8 | 58·8 | (+3·1) | 83·2 | 14 | 30·9 | 4 | 0·97 | 6 | (−0·11) | 0·34 | 25 | .. |
| Waipiata | 1,550 | 67·2 | 46·3 | 56·8 | +4·5 | 81·0 | 11 | 30·5 | 4 | 1·48 | 9 | −0·07 | 0·45 | 12 | 197·2 |
| Alexandra | 520 | 73·3 | 48·0 | 60·6 | +4·2 | 87·8 | 14 | 34·8 | 4 | 0·67 | 7 | −0·41 | 0·19 | 17 | 189·6 |
| Mid Dome | 1,252 | 68·2 | 45·7 | 57·0 | .. | 79·0 | 11,13 | 33·0 | 4 | 1·53 | 10 | .. | 0·46 | 25 | .. |
| Moa Flat, West Otago | 1,345 | 64·6 | 44·7 | 54·6 | .. | 78·0 | 29 | 32·6 | 4 | 1·76 | 15 | (−1·23) | 0·47 | 17 | .. |
| Manorburn Dam* | 2,448 | 62·6 | 41·6 | 52·1 | +4·0 | 76·0 | 14 | 23·0 | 4 | 0·86 | 10 | −0·96 | 0·28 | 17 | .. |
| Roxburgh Hydro | 350 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| Taieri | 80 | 68·5 | 48·1 | 58·3 | (+4·9) | 87·5 | 29 | 33·4 | 4 | 2·64 | 13 | (+0·36) | 1·08 | 17 | 162·9 |
| Musselburgh, Dunedin | 5 | 65·4 | 50·0 | 57·7 | (+3·1) | 82·1 | 29 | 41·0 | 3,4 | 3·29 | 13 | +0·78 | 1·32 | 17 | 172·0 |
| Tapanui | 550 | 67·3 | 46·3 | 56·8 | .. | 80·8 | 11 | 32·5 | 4 | 2·40 | 17 | .. | 0·71 | 17 | .. |
| East Gore | 245 | 68·8 | 46·6 | 57·7 | +4·6 | 84·0 | 14 | 30·0 | 4 | 2·25 | 12 | −0·96 | 0·42 | 25 | .. |
| Gore | 240 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| Otautau | 180 | 68·1 | 46·7 | 57·4 | (+5·3) | 80·5 | 14 | 30·9 | 4 | 1·52 | 13 | (−1·99) | 0·47 | 9 | .. |
| Pebbly Hills | 150 | 67·8 | 46·7 | 57·2 | .. | 84·3 | 14 | 29·6 | 4 | 2·48 | 14 | −1·07 | 0·37 | 26 | .. |
| Invercargill South | 8 | 66·6 | 49·1 | 57·8 | +4·8 | 81·3 | 23 | 32·9 | 4 | 1·87 | 13 | (−1·86) | 0·39 | 27 | .. |
| Invercargill Airfield | 0 | 65·1 | 46·9 | 56·0 | (+4·2) | 78·8 | 11 | 29·8 | 4 | 1·88 | 15 | (−1·76) | 0·41 | 27 | 174·3 |

• Observations for 26 days only.
  NOTE.—At stations where departures from normal are in parentheses, the temperature record has been maintained for less than ten years, the rainfall record for less than twenty years. Rainfall normals have been revised and now refer to the standard period 1921–50. Where observations are not available for the whole period, or where the site of the rain-gauge has been changed, the normals are partly interpolated.
  NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR NOVEMBER 1954
  General.—It was an exceptionally warm month and for the most part very dry also. The season as a whole received the lowest spring rainfall in over fifty years. Fortunately for the farmer the first part of the season was rather cool, so that the effects of the very low rainfall have not been too serious. As it is, stock are reported to be in good condition, but dairy production has declined. Hay crops are everywhere very light, and prospects for the grain harvest are not good.
  Rainfall.—Rainfall was appreciably below normal over the greater part of the country. In parts of the Auckland Province and in inland districts of Canterbury, Otago, and Southland, many stations received less than half their usual rainfall.
  There was a slight excess in southern districts of Hawke’s Bay and Wellington, in North Taranaki, and Westland, on the Kaikoura Coast, and along the coast from Timaru to Dunedin.
  On the 17th and 18th thunderstorms were reported from many places in both islands.
  Temperatures.—Mean temperatures were above normal by at least 2° F. and in places by as much as 5° F. Over the greater part of the country the departure was 3°–4° F. With the possible exception of November 1923 it was the warmest November in over fifty years. Other warm Novembers in this period occurred in 1910 and 1934.
  During the only cool spell, from the 16th to the 18th, a light snow-fall occurred on the high country. On the other hand, the period from the 7th to the 16th was particularly warm inland and in eastern districts.
  Sunshine.—Sunshine was appreciably below normal except over most of Auckland Province and coastal districts from Dunedin to Invercargill. In the King Country, Manawatu, Wellington, and Nelson the deficiency exceeded fifty hours, mainly on account of persistent cloudiness in the first half. For Wellington City, with a total of 133 hours, it was the dullest November in forty-seven years of record.
  Weather Sequence.—During the first three days of the month a weak trough passed northward over the country rather slowly, bringing light rain to most districts. From the 4th to the 6th an anticyclone was centred to the east, while a depression from the Tasman Sea passed to the west of Southland. Northerly winds prevailed, with rain continuing on the West Coast and extending at times to districts about Cook Strait and Taranaki. When another trough of low pressure passed slowly northward from 7th to 9th other districts benefited, especially Nelson, Marlborough, and Waikato. Rain became rather heavy on the West Coast, but Canterbury and Hawke’s Bay still received only a few light showers.
  For the next three days pressure was high to the east and, with depressions passing to the south-west, a northerly airstream again covered the country. The dull, humid weather which had affected western districts since the beginning of the month persisted, and there was still frequent rain on the West Coast. For most other districts this was a particularly warm period. On the 13th and 14th two anticyclones covered New Zealand, and, except in Fjordland, the weather was mainly fair, apart from afternoon showers in some inland districts of the North Island.
  During the next two days the weather deteriorated in most districts with the passage of a trough of low pressure. Conditions became generally unsettled and cooler as a depression formed over Southland on the 17th and moved along the east coast of both islands during the 18th and 19th. The resulting rain was welcome, but was still too light in parts of Canterbury. Thunderstorms were reported over a wide area, and snow fell on the high country of Canterbury. From the 20th to 22nd an anticyclone was again centred to the east, and the weather was fair over most of the country. However, a moist easterly to north-easterly airstream brought rain at times to Northland and Gisborne.
  On the 23rd a depression to the west of Southland moved south-eastward and conditions soon deteriorated with the passage of the associated trough of low pressure over the country during the next two days. Most districts received further welcome rain, but falls were still light east of the main ranges. On the 26th a secondary trough of low pressure brought some brief but unusually heavy rain to Wellington City and moderate falls elsewhere; next day showers still persisted in some districts.
  For the last three days of the month a ridge of high pressure extended over northern New Zealand from the Tasman Sea, and most of the country basked in warm sunshine. However, the passage of a depression far to the south caused a freshening of westerly winds on the Southland Coast and showery conditions in Westland.
  (N.Z. Met. S. Misc. Pub. 107.) M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.