3 OCTOBER

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE—Summary of the Records of Temperature, Rainfall, and Sunshine for August 1974—continued

The “normal” refers to the present site of the instruments. Standard periods for normals are: Temperature 1931–60, Rainfall 1941–70, Sunshine 1935–60. No normals are available for stations with only short records.

*Indicates that the sunshine recorder is not located at the station but is in the near vicinity.

A rain day is a day with rainfall equal to or greater than 0.1 mm.

Where the extremes of temperature and rainfall have occurred more than once during the month, the date of the first occurrence is given.

NOTES ON THE WEATHER FOR AUGUST 1974

General—Barometric pressures were low over New Zealand in August, and there was an unusually high frequency of winds from an easterly quarter, except in northern districts of the North Island. Persistent cloud and rain were reported in eastern districts, but on the West Coast of the South Island this was a sunny month with low rainfall. Conditions were too wet for the farmers in eastern districts, and lambing losses were reported from snow and cold rain, especially in Canterbury. On the 16th and 17th heavy seas occurring with unusually high tides caused considerable damage in some eastern coastal districts.

Rainfall—Rainfall was somewhat below normal over the greater part of the country. It was less than a quarter of the normal value in Fiordland, most of Central Otago, and a considerable part of the Alps and inland Canterbury. Rainfall was above normal in most districts east of the ranges besides eastern Bay of Plenty, Taupo, Manawatu, parts of Nelson, and coastal Otago. In parts of central Canterbury, especially Banks Peninsula, totals were from 1½ to 4 times the normal value.

Temperatures—Temperatures were below normal by about a degree Celsius in Southland, Otago, and most of Canterbury. They were above normal by up to a degree in Northland and Auckland and on the West Coast of the South Island. The coldest spells were from the 7th to the 12th, from the 18th to the 20th, and especially from the 23rd to the 26th, with snow well down on the high country of the South Island in this last spell.

Sunshine—Sunshine was below normal, mainly by 30 hours, east of the ranges north of Christchurch, and also in Nelson. It was above normal by up to 40 hours on the West Coast of the South Island and in Northland.

Weather Sequence—On the first two days of August pressures were low over the South Island and also to the east, while an anticyclone was centred far to the north. Showers were reported in western districts. On the following day a small centre crossed the northern half of the North Island, and conditions remained very similar.

From the 4th to the 6th a deep depression over the Central Tasman Sea moved slowly north-eastward, causing fairly general rain over the country. During the next three days this depression moved very slowly southward from west of Northland to west of

Auckland, while an anticyclone, centred initially far to the south, moved eastward. Cold southerly to easterly winds prevailed, with rain mainly in the east and north of the North Island. From the 10th to the 12th the anticyclone remained centred far to the south-east, while pressures were low over the North Island. Rain affected mainly the northern half of the North Island but there were also showers in eastern districts of both Islands. Temperatures remained cold in the South Island.

During the 13th and 14th a depression over Northland moved slowly eastward while the anticyclone still remained centred far to the south-east. Further rain was reported over most of the North Island but there was little in western districts from Taranaki southward. Temperatures became milder over the South Island. For the next three days a complex depression covered the whole country, and the weather was mild and unsettled, with fairly general rain, especially on the 17th. Heavy seas were reported on the east coasts of both Islands, causing considerable damage at times on account of the occurrence at the same time of unusually high tides.

On the 18th pressures rose rapidly from the south, and colder southerlies set in, with rain over most of the North Island and also in Canterbury. Following this, two days of fair weather were experienced as an anticyclone spread over the whole country, but temperatures remained cold. From the 21st to the 23rd a depression off the West Coast of the South Island moved north-eastward across the North Island, while pressures again rose rapidly to the south. South-easterlies soon set in, and temperatures became very cold. Rain was general over the North Island and the northern half of the South Island, with some heavy falls on the Kaikoura-North Canterbury coast, and also in Bay of Plenty. Snow was reported well down on the high country of the South Island.

From the 24th to the 29th a shallow depression over the North Island moved slowly eastward while pressures were also low far to the south-east; and an anticyclone over Tasmania also moved slowly eastward. Rather cold south-westerlies prevailed, with showers in many districts. The showers died out first in the south. During the last two days of the month an anticyclone covered the country and the weather was mainly fine.

J. F. DE LISLE, Director.

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

New Zealand Government Railways—Schedule of Civil Engineering and Building Contracts of $20,000 or More in Value

Name of Work

Successful Tenderer

Amount of Tender Accepted $

Construction of new goods shed building at Hawera

Boon Bros., Limited, P.O. Box 4050, New Plymouth

124,186.56

T. M. SMALL, General Manager.