23 JUNE

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE-Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for May 1960-continued

LATE RETURNS

| Karioi, April 1960 | 2,125 | 61.0 | 39.9 | 50.4 | +0.0 | 67.0 | 18 | 30.0 | 29 | 1.09 | 10 | -2.73 | 0.34 | 13 | .. |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Kuripapanga, April 1960 | 1,600 | 61.1 | 39.3 | 50.2 | .. | 73.0 | 1 | 28.0 | 20 | 8.57 | 13 | .. | 3.47 | 12 | .. |
| Wallaceville, April 1960 | 195 | 62.6 | 43.8 | 53.2 | -0.3 | 68.0 | 1, 20 | 33.0 | 18, 20 | 0.43 | 6 | -3.26 | 0.13 | 16 | 153 |
| Makara, April 1960 | 800 | 57.5 | 48.7 | 53.1 | .. | 62.0 | 1 | 45.2 | 29 | 0.90 | 9 | .. | 0.18 | 30 | .. |

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 MAY 1960

General: May was mild and cloudy. The comparative absence of cold spells proved beneficial for growth, which was regarded as particularly good for the time of the year in most districts. Stock were also reported to be doing well.

Rainfall: Rainfall was appreciably below average in eastern districts of both Islands. In most of Canterbury it was less than half the normal value. In coastal districts of north Canterbury and about Christchurch it was one of the driest Mays on record.

It was 50 per cent wetter than usual in northernmost districts of both Islands and also in parts of Bay of Plenty and Taumarunui.

Many thunderstorms were reported in western districts of the North Island on the 9th.

In northern and eastern Northland some flooding was reported following 24-hour rainfalls of 2 to 6 in. on the 15th.

Temperatures: Temperatures were 1-3 degrees above average over the greater part of the North Island and also in northern and western districts of the South Island. The highest departures were recorded in Westland.

Sunshine: It was somewhat cloudier than usual, except in parts of Southland and Otago, Nelson, and Taranaki, where the duration of sunshine was about average. The deficiency amounted to 30 hours

in Northland, Bay of Plenty, South Canterbury, and parts of the Wellington Province.

The only station favoured with appreciably more sunshine than average was Invercargill.

Weather Sequence: May started with four days of settled weather over the greater part of the country as an anticyclone centred to the south of Southland moved eastward. However, in eastern districts from Canterbury to Gisborne and in Northland these days were cloudy with light rain.

A change occurred on the 5th with the deepening of a depression near Tasmania so that its influence extended on to New Zealand. At the same time a trough moved over Northland during this and the following day with rain in northern districts of both islands and on the West Coast. Rain became general from the 7th to the 11th as the deep depression near Tasmania moved just to the south of Campbell Island and another centre developed over Southland. On the 9th thunderstorms were reported in many western districts of the North Island; and on the 11th snow fell in the far south and on Mount Ruapehu following a change to south-westerlies. In eastern districts from Canterbury to Gisborne the rain was mainly light.

On the 12th an anticyclone centred to the north brought a brief fine spell except in South Westland and Fiordland. During the next two days another deep depression was almost stationary over Tasmania, and rain spread to Southland and Otago, to other