26 JUNE
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
853

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

† Formerly known as Harewood

LATE RETURNS

| Kapiti Island, April 1958 | 44 | 60·5 | 50·3 | 55·4 | −1·6 | 66·0 | 1, 2 | 43·6 | 29 | 1·21 | 8 | −2·33 | 0·59 | 3 | .. |
| The Hermitage, April 1958 | 2,510 | 56·5 | 38·1 | 47·3 | −0·8 | 69·0 | 6 | 29·0 | 21 | 14·18 | 15 | −3·24 | 4·87 | 8 | 121 |
| Milford Sound, April 1958 | 20 | 57·9 | 41·9 | 49·9 | −1·1 | 64·0 | 7 | 33·4 | 23 | 25·59 | 22 | +3·81 | 5·74 | 2 | .. |

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 MAY 1958

May was a stormy and cloudy month. In the North Island the comparative absence of cold spells was favourable for growth, and stock were reported to be in very good condition. In Southland, however, the persistently wet conditions were adversely affecting the health of stock.

Many gales were reported during the month, especially about Cook Strait and in western and southern districts of the South Island. The worst gales from a westerly quarter in these districts were on the 5th and 6th, and from the 28th to the 31st; on the 31st a particularly violent storm caused extensive damage in Southland. South-easterly gales affected most of the North Island on the 11th.

Small local tornadoes were reported on the 6th near Levin, and on the 28th in three West Coast areas.

Rainfall: In the South Island high country, the West Coast and western Southland, rainfall was from two to four times the normal value, and for a considerable part of this area it was the wettest May on record. The monthly total of 57·65 inches at Otira was one of the highest ever recorded in this country. Taranaki, the King Country, and most of the Wellington Province also received somewhat more rain than usual.

The only areas appreciably drier than average were most of northern Northland and the North Otago coast.

Heavy rain in the Wellington Province from the 10th to the 12th in a spell of south-easterly winds caused flooding in parts of the Wairarapa and also in the Oroua, a tributary of the Manawatu.

Temperatures: In eastern districts from North Canterbury to Gisborne temperatures were 2–4 degrees warmer than usual. Elsewhere they were close to normal.

Snow was reported to low levels in parts of Canterbury on the 9th.

Sunshine: Most districts had less sunshine than usual by about 30 hours. At New Plymouth the total of 82 hours was the lowest for May in over 40 years of record.

On the coast from Invercargill to Gisborne and in the far north sunshine was about average.

Weather Sequence: Westerly conditions prevailed for the first eight days. From the 1st to the 3rd an anticyclone was centered near Northland, and the weather was fair apart from some rain on the West Coast. During the next three days a very deep depression passed close to the South Island, causing gales in Southland and Otago and about Cook Strait. Rain became general and was particularly heavy on the West Coast; the Auckland Province and eastern districts received only light falls. Pressures remained low far to the south-west, and there was further rain with the passage of a trough of low pressure over the South Island. The trough became stationary through Cook Strait on the 8th.

For the next eleven days easterly to south-easterly winds showed a marked predominance, especially over the North Island. A depression formed west of Cook Strait and moved slowly across the North Island from the 10th to the 12th, accompanied by heavy rain, especially in eastern districts, and south-easterly gales, with colder temperatures. Meanwhile an anticyclone had moved on to the South Island, and on the 14th and 15th it extended over the whole country, bringing fair but frosty weather. Pressures remained high over most of the country, but a shallow trough brought rain to Northland from the 16th to the 19th; Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay were also affected at times.

For the remaining twelve days of the month stormy westerly conditions prevailed once again. At first a deep depression was centred far to the south-west, and rain affected only the western and southern coasts of the South Island. From the 23rd to the 27th the westerlies increased as two deeper depressions passed to the south. Rain became general, though still light in eastern districts, and gales buffeted Cook Strait. During the last four days of the month conditions were even stormier as two very deep depressions passed close to Southland.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.

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