ABNORMAL MONTH.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 310, 11 October 1943, Page 6

ABNORMAL MONTH.

VERY WET SEPTEMBER. (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 9. September was an abnormal month with persistently unsettled conditions, reports the Dominion meteorologist in notes on the weather. With only transient fair periods, the month was most unpleasant and, after a poor August, it was most severe for young stock. Lambing losses were high. The lack of sunshine was detrimental to growth, which, though appreciable in places, is rank. Waterlogged! ground hag been unsuitable for tillage and sping sowing was hindered. With minor exceptions rain was heavy and frequent and few wetter Septembers have been experienced in New Zealand. The most marked surpluses occurred between Oamaru and East Cape where nearly every place exceeded double the average fall and in not a few instances treble the average. Among those places receiving over 10 inches may ben mentioned the southern Wairarapa, Hutt Valley (the wettest month for several decades), Motueka, parts of Marlborough, and North Canterbury. In the far south totals rapidly decreased and in Stewart Island only about half the usual rain fell.

Mean temperatures were about normal over the North Island and Nelson province, hut over the remainder of the country were cooler than usual, departures increasing in Canterbury and Otago to Z degrees or more. For most of the country it was a very dull month with sunshine totals far below normal. Many new low records were established throughout Canterbury, in Nelson, and in Wanganui. At Invercargill, however, there was a slight surplus.