1860
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
No. 77

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

LATE RETURNS

| Oratia, Henderson, Oct 1958 | 138 | 65·2 | 52·5 | 58·8 | +4·2 | 75·3 | 25 | 42·2 | 31 | 4·64 | 19 | −0·71 | 1·05 | 14 | .. |
| Dannevirke, May 1958 | 685 | 58·2 | 45·3 | 51·8 | .. | 67·2 | 6 | 29·6 | 20 | 5·75 | 17 | +1·92 | 1·37 | 11 | .. |
| Dannevirke, June 1958 | 685 | 53·6 | 38·4 | 46·0 | .. | 61·0 | 24 | 21·7 | 30 | 1·77 | 9 | −2·36 | 0·52 | 25 | .. |
| Dannevirke, July 1958 | 685 | 50·9 | 37·4 | 44·2 | .. | 61·4 | 18 | 24·6 | 15 | 2·33 | 23 | −1·39 | 0·29 | 4 | .. |
| Dannevirke, Aug 1958 | 685 | 53·5 | 39·0 | 46·2 | .. | 64·0 | 20, 21 | 24·5 | 17 | 4·62 | 19 | +1·19 | 1·22 | 22 | .. |
| Dannevirke, Sep 1958 | 685 | 57·5 | 38·8 | 48·2 | .. | 67·2 | 30 | 25·4 | 26 | 1·07 | 10 | −2·15 | 0·47 | 1 | .. |
| Dannevirke, Oct 1958 | 685 | 63·9 | 48·5 | 56·2 | .. | 75·6 | 26 | 37·8 | 1 | 3·43 | 17 | −0·48* | 0·98 | 12 | .. |
| Akaroa, Oct 1958 | 150 | 64·7 | 47·9 | 56·3 | +2·0 | 74·3 | 6 | 37·8 | 14 | 1·32 | 7 | −1·12 | 0·44 | 9 | 192 |

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 NOVEMBER 1958

General: November was warm and sunny. In the Auckland and Hawke’s Bay Provinces pastures were mainly in good condition, partly on account of the heavy rain in October. Elsewhere the combination of warm temperatures with three successive months of deficient rainfall led to rather dry conditions. This was particularly the case in North Canterbury and Marlborough; in the latter area there were reports of stock being sold off through lack of feed.

Rainfall: Rainfall was about half the normal value over most of the South Island and in western and southern districts of the North Island. In Marlborough it was less than a quarter of the average. In eastern and northern districts of the Auckland Province and in Hawke’s Bay a large proportion of the rain fell in thunderstorms. As a result the distribution was of a very patchy nature. Most of these areas received about three-quarters of the usual rainfall, but a few stations received double. Thunderstorms were particularly active on the 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th, and 27th. At Henderson (Auckland) on the afternoon of the 3rd 4·37 inches of rain were recorded in two and a half hours, and heavy hail damaged the fruit crops. On the same day three cows were killed by lightning near Galatea (Rotorua district).

Temperatures: As in the previous month, temperatures were well above average over the whole country. Departures were mainly 2 degrees, but Canterbury and Central Otago were 3 to 5 degrees warmer than usual. In these areas some high day temperatures were recorded between the 14th and the 22nd, the highest being 93° F at Ashburton on the 22nd.

Snow was reported in some inland districts of the South Island on the 16th and 17th.

Sunshine: Most districts were favoured with about an hour a day more sunshine than usual. Greatest departures were recorded in Wairarapa, Wellington, Marlborough, and Canterbury.

In the Bay of Plenty - Rotorua - Gisborne area and on the West Coast sunshine was close to normal. In Central Otago and Southland it was somewhat below average.

Weather Sequence: A slow-moving trough which had been affecting most of the North Island and the West Coast at the end of October continued to give rain in the same areas during the first three days of November. Some considerable falls were recorded in thunderstorms over the Auckland Province on the 3rd. On the 4th and 5th an anticyclone centered near Northland covered the whole country, bringing fine weather.

During the next three days another trough moved north-eastward over New Zealand, accompanied by a period of rain. From the 9th to the 11th the trough remained stationary over the Auckland Province, with some further rain. However, from the 12th to the 14th the weather was mainly fine, under the influence of an anticyclone centred to the east of the North Island.

From the 15th to the 18th a deep depression passed far to the south and a cold front crossed the country, accompanied by a period of rain and followed by south-westerly winds and colder temperatures. Snow was reported to low levels in some inland districts of the South Island. For the next six days the weather was mainly fair, with an anticyclone centred west of Cook Strait covering the country. However, a few showers were reported on the Canterbury coast on the 19th; and a weak trough caused light rain in parts of the Auckland Province (especially the Bay of Plenty) on the 24th.

From the 25th to the 28th the passage of a trough of low pressure was accompanied by a period of rain in most districts. Yet another trough became stationary over the South Island on the last two days of the month, with rain over the southern half.

M. A. F. BARNETT, Director.
(N.Z. Met.S.Misc. Pub. 107)