654

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

No. 29

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for April 1959—continued

LATE RETURNS

| Waeregi-o-Kuri, Mar 1959 | 1,130 | 66·8 | 52·7 | 59·8 | +0·3 | 76·2 | 39·3 | 11 | 28 | 4·53 | 18 | -0·97 | 1·26 | 7 | |
| Dannevirke, Mar 1959 | 685 | 68·1 | 52·1 | 60·1 | | 78·0 | 32·8 | 9 | 27 | 3·06 | 15 | +0·25 | 1·05 | 17 | |
| Wallaceville, Mar 1959 | 195 | 68·1 | 51·9 | 60·0 | +2·6 | 80·0 | 35·0 | 16 | 27, 28 | 2·65 | 10 | -0·20* | 1·49 | 11 | 178 |

NOTE—At stations where departures from normal have an asterisk, the temperature record has been maintained for less than 10 years, the rainfall record for less than 20 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 APRIL 1959

General: April was a good month for growth and for stock, apart from the persistence of damp conditions in parts of the North Island, adversely affecting the lambs. In the South Island the rain was appreciated after the previous dry spell in some areas, and the mildness of the weather also proved beneficial.

Rainfall: Rainfall was appreciably above normal over most of the Auckland and Canterbury provinces and also in parts of Nelson and Marlborough. It was more than double the average value in Rotorua-Taupo and south Waikato. Elsewhere rainfall was mainly close to normal.

Many thunderstorms were reported in the Rotorua district and the Waikato on the 8th and 9th, with some local flooding. Around Rotorua the total rainfall for these two days ranged from 8 to 11 inches.

Temperatures: Over the South Island (except Nelson and Marlborough) it was 1–3 degrees warmer than usual. Elsewhere temperatures were close to average.

Snow fell on the ranges of both islands during a spell of cold south-westerly weather in the last week of the month.

Sunshine: Northern and western districts of both islands and Canterbury were favoured with somewhat more sunshine than usual, mainly by 15 to 30 hours. In coastal Otago and parts of Southland totals were below normal by 20 hours.

Weather Sequence: During the first four days fine weather prevailed as an anticyclone moved across the South Island. However, pressure remained low to the north, and showers were reported in Northland.

The period from the 5th to the 13th was one of particularly unsettled and wet weather for the Auckland Province. Rain set in over the province on the 5th with the movement of a depression down the east coast of Northland; thunderstorms were reported in the Waikato. On the following day pressures commenced to fall over the remainder of the country, and the rain spread southward

to Wellington. From 7th to the 12th the weather was dominated by a depression which developed over the Tasman Sea west of Cook Strait. Precipitation became general in the moist northerly airstream on the 8th and 9th, with thunderstorms in many parts of the Auckland Province. Heaviest rainfall was reported in Rotorua-Taupo and parts of the Nelson Province. The rain became lighter from the 10th to the 12th as the depression lost intensity and moved slowly across the country. Some light rain still persisted in South Auckland on the following day, but generally the weather improved with rising pressures.

On the 14th and 15th the weather was fine under the influence of an anticyclone moving across the North Island. For the next three days the country was affected by a depression passing to the south, and later by another depression which developed to the east. Heavy rain soon developed on the West Coast and in the Alps. Light falls were later reported in other districts with the passage of a trough of low pressure associated with the first of the two depressions.

From the 19th to the 26th the weather was again mainly fine, under the influence of a slow-moving anticyclone. Some light rain was reported at times on the western and southern coasts of the South Island; and parts of Northland received some showers on the 25th.

On the 27th the weather deteriorated generally with the passage of a trough of low pressure associated with a very deep depression passing near Campbell Island. For the remaining four days of the month this depression persisted far to the south-east, while an anticyclone was centered over eastern Australia. A cold south-westerly airstream covered the country, with showers in many districts. Snow fell on the ranges of both islands. The weather showed some improvement with rising pressures, and on the last day only a few showers were reported.

R. G. SIMMERS, Acting Director.

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