398
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
No. 20

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for February 1958—continued

LATE RETURNS

| Oratia, Jan., 1958 | 138 | 73·9 | 52·0 | 63·0 | -0·7 | 83·4 | 28 | 38·9 | 11 | 1·54 | 6 | -2·78 | 0·71 | 17 | .. |
| Paerata, Dec., 1957 | 150 | 72·4 | 47·1 | 59·8 | -2·2 | 79·4 | 14 | 42·9 | 3 | 1·93 | 9 | -0·71 | 0·95 | 17 | .. |
| Paerata, Jan., 1958 | 150 | 77·2 | 49·8 | 63·5 | -1·2 | 84·6 | 28, 31 | 42·7 | 3 | 1·76 | 5 | -1·61 | 0·89 | 17 | .. |
| Waikeria, Jan., 1958 | 156 | 73·7 | 50·3 | 62·0 | .. | 83·0 | 28 | 39·2 | 3 | 2·15 | 10 | .. | 0·66 | 17 | .. |
| Chateau, Jan., 1958 | 3,670 | 60·7 | 42·9 | 51·8 | -0·5 | 72·0 | 28 | 32·0 | 3 | 6·19 | 14 | -2·38 | 1·28 | 5 | .. |
| Dannevirke, Dec., 1957 | 685 | 66·1 | 49·4 | 57·8 | .. | 74·7 | 14 | 38·0 | 20 | 4·13 | 19 | +0·99 | 1·03 | 17 | .. |
| Dannevirke, Jan., 1958 | 685 | 70·7 | 52·4 | 61·6 | .. | 81·6 | 24 | 36·3 | 11 | 0·90 | 7 | -2·29 | 0·30 | 16 | .. |
| Molesworth, Jan., 1958 | 2,930 | 67·2 | 42·8 | 55·0 | -2·0 | 79·9 | 28 | 32·5 | 4 | 1·31 | 6 | -0·78* | 0·52 | 5 | .. |

NOTE.—At stations where departures from normal have an asterisk, 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 FEBRUARY 1958

General: February was a wet month, with extensive flooding. It was also cloudy, warm, and humid. Over the greater part of the country the rain was welcomed after the dry weather in January, and stock and crops benefited. However, in some inland districts of Canterbury and Otago conditions were considered too wet for sheep.

Rainfall: Rainfall was from two to four times the normal value in the Auckland Province (except Gisborne) and also in most western and inland areas of the South Island south of Hokitika. From Kaitaia northward and in a small area around Hamilton totals exceeded four times the usual value. In these areas it was by far the wettest February on record; and in Hamilton it was also the wettest of any month in over 50 years of observation, Ruakura receiving 12·75 in.

Heavy rain in the Auckland Province on the 23rd and 24th caused unusually widespread flooding, affecting especially the King Country, the Kaitaia district, and the Waikato, Tongariro, Wanganui, and Rangitikei Rivers. The Auckland-Wellington railway line and main roads were closed for many days. Among the heaviest falls recorded over the two days were 12 in. at Rangipo Prison Farm, south of Lake Taupo, and 9·7 in. at Glenbrook, Otorohanga.

In the south, Milford Sound received a total of 69 in., its highest monthly rainfall and not far short of the New Zealand record for a month — 73 in., at the Homer Tunnel in February 1940. The daily fall of 20½ in. on the 13th at Milford Sound was also one of the highest ever recorded in this country. The heavy rain extended to the Lakes district, and the Clutha River was in flood from about the 13th of the month.

Temperatures: The previous four months had been somewhat cooler than usual, but in February temperatures were above normal throughout the country. Departures were mainly 3 to 5 degrees, but were somewhat lower in eastern districts of the South Island.

Sunshine: Sunshine was more than an hour a day below normal, except in eastern districts of the North Island and on the Southland plain. Over a considerable part of the South Island, from Central Otago northward, it was the cloudiest February on record, and in some places such as Nelson it was also by far the cloudiest summer month.

Weather Sequence: On the first two days of the month an anticyclone was centred east of the North Island, and a depression near south-east Australia was moving eastward. A weak trough moved on to the country, but rain was confined mainly to the West Coast. Conditions remained somewhat similar from the 3rd to the 6th as the depression moved south-eastward past western Southland and another depression moved into the Tasman Sea. A few showers extended at times to other South Island districts. For the next three days a trough moved rather slowly northward over New Zealand, bringing some rain to most parts of the country. Pressures rose rapidly behind the trough as an anticyclone moved on to the South Island; and on the 10th and 11th fair or fine weather was general.

A more vigorous trough moved on to Southland and Otago on the 12th, with considerable rain, especially in Fiordland. During the next two days the trough slowed down, while a depression developed over the North Tasman Sea; there was further rain in the South Island. From the 15th to the 19th the trough was almost stationary through Cook Strait, while the depression over the North Tasman