546
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
No. 26

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

LATE RETURNS

| Kaingaroa, Feb., 1958 | 180 | 73·7 | 50·6 | 62·2 | +3·0 | 81·2 | 3 | 37·0 | 7 | 10·53 | 14 | +5·36 | 4·20 | 24 | .. |
| Roxburgh, Feb., 1958 | 350 | 74·1 | 51·3 | 62·7 | .. | 90·0 | 6 | 38·0 | 25 | 3·11 | 10 | +1·38* | 1·40 | 21 | .. |
| East Gore, Jan., 1958 | 245 | 68·1 | 47·8 | 58·0 | +0·0 | 82·0 | 27 | 36·0 | 3, 10 | 3·23 | 18 | +0·15 | 1·12 | 29 | .. |
| East Gore, Feb., 1958 | 245 | 71·9 | 49·2 | 60·6 | +2·7 | 85·0 | 1, 20 | 31·0 | 25 | 4·60 | 14 | +1·79 | 1·80 | 21 | .. |

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 MARCH 1958

General: March was warm and humid. Most districts enjoyed two spells of settled weather at the beginning and end of the month, and stock and crops were reported to be in very good condition. The season has been a particularly favourable one for dairying.

In parts of Marlborough and Gisborne the weather was too dry, adversely affecting growth.

Rainfall: Rainfall was about two-thirds of the normal value in eastern districts and also over the greater part of the Auckland Province. Marlborough (except the Sounds), northern Northland, and parts of Gisborne received only a third of their usual rainfall. On the West Coast and in the Alps it was the sixth successive month with rainfall well above normal, and some stations received twice the average amount. The total rainfall over the greater part of this area for these six months (commencing October 1957) was a record for any six-monthly period. In the Alps and Fiordland the total exceeded the annual average rainfall; Milford Sound received 253·8 in.

Temperatures: Temperatures were above normal, mainly by 2–3 in. Departures were highest in Hawke’s Bay.

Sunshine: It was cloudier than usual, except in eastern districts from Gisborne to Wairarapa. The sunshine deficiency was greatest in western and inland districts of the South Island, where it exceeded an hour a day.

Weather Sequence

For the first eight days a large anticyclone extended over New Zealand from the east, and for the greater part of the country the weather was fine and warm. The passage of a deep depression far to the south-west caused rain on the West Coast and the Southland coast on the 3rd and rain continued in south Westland for another two days owing to the presence of a weak stationary front.

On the 9th and 10th another depression moved south-eastward past western Southland, and the associated cold front crossed the country. The West Coast received heavy rain and there were light falls in other districts as far north as Ruapehu. On the following day the cold front brought a few showers to the Auckland Province but elsewhere the weather improved temporarily. From the 12th to the 16th a complex trough moved slowly north-eastward over New Zealand, while two successive depressions crossed the South Island. Rain was general except in parts of Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay. Further heavy falls on the West Coast, especially on the 13th and 14th, caused flooding and a landslide at Lake Brunner.

From the 17th to the 19th a weak cold front associated with a depression to the south brought a few showers, mainly on western and southern coasts. For the next three days an anticyclone covered the whole country and the weather was fine.

On the 23rd and 24th a shallow depression moved past Southland and a second depression moved into the Tasman Sea. Light rain commenced again on the West Coast and extended at times to Cook Strait and Taranaki. During the next two days the second depression crossed the North Island giving widespread rain. There were considerable falls in some eastern districts.

On the 27th a weak ridge of high pressure brought mainly fair weather, which persisted in eastern districts north of Oamaru for the rest of the month. However, winds from a westerly quarter freshened once again in the south with the passage of a deep depression close to Campbell Island, and the West Coast received further rain. The far south, Cook Strait and western districts of the North Island also reported light falls, mainly on the 29th.

R. G. SIMMERS, Acting Director.

(N.Z. Met. S. Misc. Pub. 107)