MIXED SEASONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 306, 27 December 1929, Page 8

MIXED SEASONS.

SUMMER'S LATE ADVENT.

WINTRY I.AST QUARTER.

WESTERLIES PREDOMINATE.

REVIEW OF YEAR'S WEATHER,

Against those two fine and dry months, January and February, there must be set a wet and rather wintry November and December, which make the weather for the year remarkable. Generally a wet winter is followed by a dry summer, and the contrary is also the case. So it seems that Auckland's rainfall is making up leeway now, but there appears only a remo J > prospect of the average for the year being reached. With only a week to go, another 6£in would be necessary to reach the 55.82 in, which is the average for the fn*~ years, 1923-28. January and February were followed by an abrupt change" in March, and a wet autumn was experienced. The temperatures, however, were mild, and the period of bright sunshine in April was above the average. Occasional electrical disturbances were associated with short periods of cyclonic weather, and thunderstorms swept over Auckland on six days during the month. In May Auckland was fortunate in missing several intense storms that passed either north or south of us. Residents of the .ftutakeres and other areas to the north-west remember well the severe storm of short duration which occurred on the 27th, causing much damage by wind and hail. The rainfall in the city was .45in below the average, and normal temperatures were recorded. This was the natural consequence of easterly weather, with its usually mild conditions, predominating. Cyclonic Storms. June and July, the winter months, were one long succession of wet and dull days, with some intense cyclonic storms. Though wet, June was yet mild, but some westerly storms, associated with !i e in°? con ditions, of which that on t4e.l9tt.-w. i a brief but telling instance,

;gave a hint of what July might be. That month was not as wet, however, as July .d 27 or 1928, and when the first frosts were over there were two or three weeks of milder weather. Spring seemed to make its early arrival in August, and many bright days were enjoyed, with blue skies. Early tomatoes were planted out before their usual time 5 i some gardens, and many were the regrets when a September much colder than usual pu* a check to all growth. Late frosts mantled the Mangere, Henderson and other suburban districts in white towards the end of that month, and fruit trees were late in blossoming. The coldness of the month was due to the ,'reponderance of westerly weather, giving south-west winds, but there was some compensation in the fact that September was a period of light rainfall. Wettest Month. Official observations go to show that the law of averages has a particular part to play in the weather of the four seasons. If the rainfall is below normal in one season it is likely to be above it the next. So it was no surprise to those with a trained weather eye that the year set in unusuallv wet late in October. Three weeks in October were deceiving in their promise of a dry spell and an early summer, but there was a rainfall of 2.3 Sin on October 23, and in just over a week the records showed 4.65 in. At that time tho> position was that the rainfall for 1929 was considerably below that for the half-yearly and threequarter yearly periods, and to-day in spite of the, exceptionally wet November, the average has not been reached. The rainy season that began in October persisted throughout November. The total fall for last month was 7.09 in, that is, 3.89 in above the average, making November the wettest month of the year. Rain fell on 19 days, and the fall of 2.02 in on the 9th was greater than the value for the whole of November last year, 1.89 in. Chilly December.

December up to date has proved more than usually wet, a preponderance of westerly weather being experienced with comparatively low temperatures., At no time was this more noticeable than during the past week-end. The approach of Christmas is a time when everyone becomes much concerned about the trend of the season, and if summer has not anived by the middle of. December it is naturally assumed there is cause for anxiety. Already the rainfall for the month is above the average, and the big ■ # ,:■*- . :-,-. , ■;■•.:•,

holiday week of the year is just beginning. Those who have last year's holidays in mind will be none too sanguine about the immediate future. Take for instance the torrential rain all over the province on December 28, or the rain and hail of a fortnight before. That drenching downpour right at the beginning of the holidays brought despair to many a camping party. Too much importance should not bo attached to experiences of that kind, though, for it is rarely that Nihotupu dam has been known to rise sft in one night as it did in the middle of the holidays. The rainfall for the year (to date), compared with previous years, is as follows: —

1029 1028 1027 102C 1023. 1024 .Tan. 1.38 0.20 1.4G 4.0-1 2.21 3.83 Feb. O.til 1.01 5.58 2.5G ■ 3.37 4.77 March 5.62 3.45 4.57 2.42 1.30 3.34 April 4.02 4.90 3.01'. 1.53 1.28 11.29 May 4.10 10.41 5.4S 13.70 5.2S 10.03 June 5.03 5.84 7.09 4.S7 7.85 e.4l July 0.02 8.54 8.47 2.81 4.10 2.80 Aug. 4.89 3.34 0.06 0.08 3.0S 3.72 Sept. 2.30 7.81 4.31 2.S7 4.25 4.04 Oct. 4.05 5.24 2.00 7.55 2.03 4.02 Nov. 7.09 1.80 1.63 7.54 2.31 4 03 Dec. (2.00) 0.00 1.14 0.30 1.12 4.41 Total 49.87 50.26 53.28 C2.9S 38.7S 6lo5