THE WEATHER

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 12296, 9 March 1938, Page 3

THE WEATHER

XOTES FOK FEBRUARY The following notes on the weather of February, 1935, are supplied by Dr. E. Kidson, Director of Meteorological Services: — General. —The weather in February was tropical as regards both the temperature and tue humidity of the atmosphere. The rainfall, also, especially in the North Island was frequently tropical in intensity and in its erratic distribution. The warm and humid conditions were practically continuous northward from Wellington and even south of that the break during the third week brought only partial relief. Considerable damage was done to roads in the North Island by the heavy rain and in places flooding. Slips were numerous. Fruit crops were damaged by the gale on the 4th in the North, while the humidity has been unfavourable to stone fruits. For apples it is a very good season. Except in Otago and Southland, parts of which are still suffering from a severe drought, there is abundant growth of pasture and stock are doing well. The damp conditions are, however, congenial for insects and fungous pests and considerable trouble is likely to be experienced from these. Potatoes and tomatoes have already suffered severely in places. Rainfall.—The rainfall was much above average from Nelson and Marlborough northwards. The departures were fairly moderate in Taranaki and the Manawatu, but generally from twice to three times the average was recorded. Very dry weather persisted in most of Otago and Southland, large areas having less than half the normal rainfall. In the remainder of the South Island conditions varied considerably, some parts having more and some less than the average. Some extraordinarily heavy rains occurred on the 4th and again on the 16 th to ISth. Most of the very heavy falls -were of a rather local character, the amounts varying greatly over short distances. On the whole they were not so heavy on the high as on the low levels. This, though very unusual, was a fortunate circumstance since otherwise there would have been far more serious flood damage. Waihi had 16.5 inches on the 4th; Matarau (Cape Runaway) 7.50 on the 4th and 5.50 on the 6th; Tolaga Bay had 2.22 inches on the 15th, 2.30 on the 16th, 0.74 on the 17th and 7.63 on the 18th. Parts of GisborAe had as much as 6 inches on the 18th. Temperatures.—February was the hottest month hitherto experienced in New Zealand. This is_ all the more remarkable if one remembers that the atmosphere was very humid, the sky generally cloudy and the rainfall heavy. From the returns to hand the North Island had a mean temperature 5.8 degrees and the South 5.'3 degrees above the normal.: Tne only month in which these departures have been exceeded was December, 1934, when the average for the Dominion was 6.2 degrees. On that occasion, however, a drought was prevailing and there was abundant sunshine. The extreme maxima were not excessively high. Sunshine.—As already indicated, the amount of sunshine recorded was generally below normal. This was especially the case from Nel-son,-and Marlborough northwards, where the average deficit was something like 50 hours. Parts of the southern interior of Canterbury, and Otago and Southland, had a sunny month. Alexandra reports 239.3 “ours and Lake Tekapo 223.3. o Storm Systems.—The month began with an anti-cyclone covering the South Island and fair weather generally. On the 3rd, however, the wind in the far North freshened from the east. By the 4tli a cyclone was centred between Cape Maria van Diemen and Norfolk Island and easterly gales were blowing in much . the Auckland Province. On the *>th the cyclone filled up. Rain fell “ier most of the country, and many neavy falls from Nelson and Marloorougfi northwards, and flooding in Auckland Province. Considerable damage-was done bv the gales. Prom the llth to the'l4th there was general rain with many heavy «hs, due to a series of depressions oilowing closely on one another, "om the 12th to the 13th many thunderstorms occurred in the North Island. From the 15th to the 19 th pressure continued high to the South aud low to the North, while the atmosphere was very humid and unstable. Sudden heavv rains were numerous in the North Island with much flooding, though there was sually no storm centre very near, u the isth a slight disturbance of 11 unusual type caused torrential utns between Hawke’s Bay and East a Pe and heavy falls southward to hv a Much damage was done j floods and grave loss of life ocurred at a workmen’s camp in the nairoa district. From the 20th the .'father improved in the North, but of °® the 24th to the 27 th a series ..''Serous depressions were response* for muc b rain and some northsterly gales from 'Wellington southwards.