690
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
No. 29

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—continued

Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for March 1955—continued

| Station | Height of Station Above M.S.L. | Air Temperatures in Degrees (Fahrenheit) | | | | | Rainfall in Inches | | | | Bright Sunshine |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| | | Means of | | | Absolute Maximum and Minimum | | Total Fall | No. of Rain Days | Difference From Normal | Maximum Fall | | |
| | | A Max. | B Min. | Mean of A and B | Difference From Normal | Maximum | Date | Minimum | Date | | | | Amount | Date | |
| | Ft. | °F. | °F. | °F. | | °F. | | °F. | | In. | | | In. | | Hrs. |
| Darfield | 640 | 69.2 | 47.6 | 58.4 | +1.3 | 83.6 | 10 | 36.3 | 16 | 1.50 | 8 | -0.54 | 0.58 | 15 | .. |
| Harewood | 94 | 67.8 | 48.9 | 58.4 | .. | 84.4 | 24 | 36.1 | 23 | 0.58 | 6 | .. | 0.23 | 15 | 164.1 |
| Christchurch | 22 | 69.3 | 50.1 | 59.7 | +1.6 | 84.3 | 16, 24 | 37.3 | 16 | 0.33 | 6 | -1.61 | 0.09 | 15 | .. |
| Wigram | 74 | 68.8 | 49.9 | 59.4 | (+1.3) | 84.1 | 10 | 36.3 | 16 | 0.61 | 6 | (-1.21) | 0.24 | 15 | .. |
| Akaroa | 150 | 70.3 | 52.0 | 61.2 | +1.6 | 86.2 | 24 | 43.0 | 23 | 0.75 | 9 | (-1.90) | 0.16 | 17 | 180.8 |
| Lincoln | 36 | 68.6 | 48.3 | 58.4 | +1.4 | 83.2 | 6 | 32.8 | 16 | 1.02 | 8 | -1.06 | 0.32 | 15 | 174.9 |
| Highbank | 1,102 | 66.8 | 48.0 | 57.4 | .. | 85.9 | 9 | 41.0 | 18 | 2.24 | 10 | .. | 0.64 | 15 | 156.3 |
| The Hermitage | 2,510 | 65.5 | 45.3 | 55.4 | +1.3 | 77.0 | 23 | 35.0 | 16 | 6.45 | 11 | -9.24 | 1.80 | 8 | 159.6 |
| Winchmore | 525 | 66.9 | 46.5 | 56.7 | +0.3 | 79.4 | 10 | 36.2 | 16 | 1.99 | 9 | -0.23 | 0.74 | 10 | .. |
| Haast | 15 | 64.9 | 51.1 | 58.0 | +1.1 | 73.6 | 12 | 40.8 | 18 | 12.30 | 16 | +0.84 | 2.80 | 8 | 156.5 |
| Ashburton | 323 | 69.8 | 48.5 | 59.2 | +1.4 | 84.2 | 9 | 38.8 | 17 | 1.64 | 8 | -0.56 | 0.55 | 10 | 142.1 |
| Fairlie | 1,004 | 68.5 | 43.6 | 56.0 | +0.7 | 85.5 | 6 | 31.0 | 16 | 1.99 | 8 | -0.40 | 0.86 | 17 | .. |
| Timaru | 56 | 67.3 | 48.1 | 57.7 | +0.3 | 80.2 | 6 | 38.8 | 16 | 1.43 | 8 | -0.70 | 0.47 | 14 | 152.1 |
| Adair | 200 | 64.8 | 48.8 | 56.8 | (+0.5) | 80.5 | 6 | 40.8 | 23 | 1.35 | 8 | (-0.89) | 0.56 | 14 | .. |
| Tara Hills, Omarama | 1,600 | 69.5 | 42.5 | 56.0 | (-0.2) | 82.8 | 9 | 31.8 | 28 | 1.01 | 7 | (-0.81) | 0.66 | 13 | 188.8 |
| Milford Sound | 20 | 63.4 | 48.4 | 55.9 | +0.7 | 70.4 | 5 | 41.2 | 18 | 25.39 | 19 | +3.21 | 6.94 | 8 | .. |
| Waimate | 200 | 67.6 | 48.4 | 58.0 | +0.5 | 81.1 | 6 | 39.6 | 18 | 1.76 | 13 | -0.48 | 0.47 | 14 | 134.1 |
| Naseby | 2,300 | 65.5 | 39.7 | 52.6 | .. | 81.8 | 5 | 30.1 | 2, 23 | 2.83 | 9 | .. | 0.63 | 13 | .. |
| Frankton Airfield | 1,144 | 69.2 | 44.4 | 56.8 | .. | 80.5 | 5 | 33.7 | 21 | 1.97 | 7 | .. | 1.09 | 8 | .. |
| Queenstown | 1,100 | 67.4 | 47.0 | 57.2 | +0.9 | 79.6 | 5 | 37.3 | 20 | 2.15 | 10 | -0.70 | 1.14 | 8 | 182.9 |
| Cromwell | 720 | 71.0 | 47.5 | 59.2 | (+1.6) | 86.0 | 6 | 35.1 | 20 | 1.00 | 8 | (-0.43) | 0.43 | 13 | .. |
| Ophir | 1,000 | 69.2 | 41.5 | 55.4 | -0.3 | 83.5 | 9 | 32.3 | 28 | 1.63 | 7 | +0.17 | 0.52 | 14 | .. |
| Earnscleugh | 500 | 69.8 | 43.9 | 56.8 | (-0.1) | 83.5 | 9 | 34.2 | 28 | 1.29 | 8 | (+0.08) | 0.41 | 13 | .. |
| Waipiata | 1,550 | 65.5 | 42.7 | 54.1 | -0.5 | 83.0 | 9 | 34.8 | 18 | 2.26 | 7 | +0.69 | 0.78 | 14 | 191.9 |
| Alexandra | 520 | 70.8 | 46.4 | 58.6 | +1.0 | 87.2 | 6 | 36.4 | 20 | 1.18 | 9 | +0.03 | 0.43 | 13 | 194.5 |
| Mid Dome | 1,252 | 67.0 | 44.1 | 55.6 | .. | 81.7 | 6 | 32.3 | 20 | 2.58 | 11 | .. | 1.23 | 8 | .. |
| Moa Flat, West Otago | 1,345 | 62.1 | 43.0 | 52.6 | .. | 79.0 | 9 | 34.0 | 20 | 2.55 | 12 | (+0.09) | 1.08 | 8 | .. |
| Mossburn | 961 | 65.2 | 44.7 | 55.0 | .. | 77.5 | 9 | 33.1 | 20 | 2.28 | 9 | .. | 1.19 | 8 | .. |
| Manorburn Dam* | 2,448 | 62.2 | 39.7 | 51.0 | +0.6 | 76.5 | 6 | 27.8 | 22 | 1.48 | 8 | -0.21 | 0.44 | 13 | .. |
| Roxburgh Hydro | 350 | 69.3 | 45.9 | 57.6 | .. | 85.2 | 6 | 32.5 | 20 | 1.49 | 8 | (-0.03) | 0.50 | 8 | .. |
| Taieri | 80 | 65.4 | 45.3 | 55.4 | +0.2 | 83.5 | 9 | 34.8 | 23 | 1.98 | 11 | -0.09 | 0.75 | 8 | 136.2 |
| Musselburgh, Dunedin | 5 | 64.0 | 49.3 | 56.6 | (+0.2) | 76.8 | 6 | 40.5 | 23 | 2.15 | 12 | -0.41 | 0.70 | 8 | 131.6 |
| Tapanui | 550 | 64.8 | 45.8 | 55.2 | .. | 83.1 | 9 | 35.8 | 20 | 2.01 | 11 | .. | 0.94 | 8 | .. |
| East Gore | 245 | 66.2 | 45.1 | 55.6 | +0.5 | 83.0 | 9 | 32.0 | 20 | 2.24 | 13 | -0.87 | 0.87 | 8 | .. |
| Gore | 240 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| Otautau | 180 | 65.5 | 44.1 | 54.8 | (+0.1) | 78.0 | 5 | 34.3 | 20 | 2.02 | 10 | (-1.50) | 0.46 | 8 | .. |
| Pebbly Hills | 150 | 65.8 | 44.3 | 55.0 | .. | 83.5 | 5 | 32.0 | 31 | 2.51 | 16 | (-1.11) | 0.70 | 8 | .. |
| Invercargill South | 8 | 63.6 | 47.5 | 55.6 | +0.6 | 80.8 | 5 | 35.0 | 20 | 2.31 | 18 | (-1.81) | 0.44 | 17 | .. |
| Invercargill Airfield | 0 | 62.6 | 44.9 | 53.6 | (-0.2) | 77.0 | 5 | 32.3 | 20 | 2.26 | 19 | (-1.77) | 0.45 | 17 | 158.4 |

* Observations for 26 days only.

LATE RETURN

| Taumarunui, Feb., 1955 | 560 | 79.5 | 59.8 | 69.6 | (+6.0) | 85.0 | 2 | 50.8 | 23 | 5.86 | 16 | +2.19 | 1.87 | 19 | 131.3 |

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 MARCH 1955

General.—March was a warm, cloudy month with predominantly settled weather. For much of the country pasture growth was reported to be good. However, in some districts farmers were finding conditions much too dry. This was especially noticeable in the Waikato after three successive months of dry and very warm weather.

The only period of generally unsettled weather occurred from the 10th to the 15th as a tropical cyclone moved towards Northland from the north-east, and later remained off the west coast for about two days. Strong south-easterly gales affected many districts from Marlborough to Taranaki on the 11th and 12th, and several buildings were damaged in Picton. In Northland many roads were flooded on the 15th, after five days of heavy rain.

Rainfall.—Rainfall was below normal over the greater part of the country, and the deficiency exceeded 50 per cent over most of Taranaki, the central high country of the North Island, Manawatu, and North Canterbury. However, there was an appreciable surplus from Auckland City northwards, over most of the Gisborne district and Hawke's Bay, and also in parts of Nelson and Marlborough.

It was the wettest March on record for Whangarei, with a total of 16.6 inches, of which nearly 15 inches fell between the 10th and the 18th. Some exceptionally heavy rainfalls were reported from central Hawke's Bay on the 10th, including a fall of 13.3 inches at Anawai, Maraetotara.

Temperatures.—For the fifth successive month temperatures were well above normal over most of the country. The departure exceeded 2° F. over the north-western part of the South Island and over the North Island except for Gisborne and Hawke's Bay. For Ruakura, Hamilton, it was the warmest March in forty years of record.

In the North Island some unusually high temperatures for March were recorded on the 10th, and on the 14th the combination of warm temperatures and high humidity proved to be very oppressive.

Sunshine.—Sunshine was below normal except in the Wairarapa and in parts of Southland. The deficiency exceeded an hour a day over most of Westland and Taranaki and also over the Auckland Province north of Hamilton.

Weather Sequence.—On the 1st a large anticyclone moved on to the South Island, bringing cool southerlies but fair weather apart from showers in Gisborne and Hawke's Bay. With the slow eastward movement of the anticyclone during the next four days settled conditions persisted over most of the country, but there was rain at times over the Auckland Peninsula and in central districts. The West Coast received moderate to heavy rain on the 6th and 7th with the passage of a cold front over the South Island. On the next two days rain extended also to Otago and Southland as the front became stationary and later moved southward over these provinces as a warm front.

The approach of a tropical cyclone from the north-east on the 10th ushered in about a week of unsettled and stormy weather. On the two following days Northland, Gisborne, and Hawke's Bay received heavy rain, while south-east gales caused some damage to buildings in Picton and battered shipping off the South Taranaki coast. The cyclone moved to the west of Northland and remained there on the 13th and 14th, gradually losing intensity. Rain became general, with some heavy falls in northern districts of both Islands. On the 15th and 16th a cold front crossed the country, accompanied by rain in eastern districts and snow quite low on the ranges of the South Island. Conditions remained unsettled on the 17th with the passage of another trough over New Zealand.

On the following day a depression formed to the north-east of Northland, causing considerable rain over the Auckland Peninsula and the Gisborne district. Showers persisted on the east coast of Northland for several days, but for the greater part of the country from the 19th to the end of the month was a period of settled weather, with anticyclones passing across the North Island. Several depressions passed far to the south, however, and the associated troughs of low pressure brought frequent showery periods to the West Coast. Showers also extended at times to the Southland and Otago coasts and to parts of the west coast of the North Island.

R. G. SIMMERS, Acting Director.
(N.Z. Met. S. Misc. Pub. 107)