DECEMBER WEATHER

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13235, 10 January 1941, Page 4

DECEMBER WEATHER

The Dominion Meteorologist has has released the following notes on the weather for December, 19 40.. General Notes: December was warm, dry and sunny with conditions ideal for shearing and haymaking. Most cereal and fodder crops have been growing rapidly as also the linen flax and, in the Auckland Province, the paspalum grass. Fruit is ripening very well, although the crops in some eases are not heavy. There is still plenty of grass, and dairy pro ductioon continues at a high level,, while pastures which are now drying are most favorable for fat lambs. Rainfall: Rainfall was well beow average in most places, frequently by deficits of 50 per cent, or more. The average was reached, however, in South Westland and exceeded in parts of >central Hawke’s Bay and in a region embracing Taupo, Rotorua and Tauranga. Those North Island excesses were due to the torrential rains during the 14th, for which day Katikati recorded 9.10 inches. Temperatures; Mean temperatures were everywhere above normal. The cold changes were of very brief duration, and towards the end of themonth there were several particularly hot days, especially in Southland. Sunshine; Apart from Taranaki and Westland, where sunshine wasslightly under average, it was in excess, with substantial surplusses occuring in the South .Island.