SUNSHINE AND RAINFALL FOR THE YEAR.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10862, 11 January 1901, Page 6

SUNSHINE AND RAINFALL FOR THE YEAR.

The interesting tabulated statement published below shows the total sunshine and rainfall in Christchurch during the year. It will be seen that the actual sunshine was about half that which was possible—that is, that the sun shone for half the time it was above the horizon. This average is quite as good as might have been expected, in view of the bad weather of December, which lowered the record considerably. The highest record was in February, 252 hours, and the lowest in April, 107 hours 35 minutes. A return which has been published of the sunshine in Gi. borne shows that Christchurch is sunnier than the northern town, though Gisborne has been beaten by only 17 hours 10 minutes. The sunshine record in Gisborne, as a matter of fact, shows an improvement as compared vvith last year's return, though the number of days without sunshine was twelve more than in 1899. It is interesting to note that the number of days on which there was no sunshine was only 29 in Gisborne, as against 33 in Christchurch. With regard to the rainfall, a comparison of the figures shows that the fall in Gisborne was more than double that in Christchurch. Our wettest month was October, with 3.25 in, and our driest February, with 0.49 in. In Gisborne the wettest month was May. when 9.23 in were recorded, whilst in the driest month, November, the record was 1.35 in. The following is the statement of the sunshine and rainfall in Christchurch tor the year:—

At two o'clock yesterday morning the yacht Waitangi returned to Lvttelton, after anything but a pleasant six"days' voyage. She left Lyttelton for Wellington (reports her skipper, Mr G. George-son) on Friday morning la.t. find cross-ed Cock Strait on Monday night in a fierce r.or'-west gale. The weather was so thick that the lighthouse could not bo picked up. The yacht got down to Palli-er Bay, but carried away Tier foresail, and had to run back to Cape Campbell under h*T trysail. There was a very heavy sea, with a northerly gale, which blew her down past Kaikoura, and it was then determined to make for Lyttelton. The crewhad run out of provisions, but were not short of fr&sh water, and, it need hardly be said, thoroughly enjoyed a good meal yesterday morning. The necessary repairs to the yacht will be effected iv Lyttelton. The yacht Rainbow was in company with the Waitangi on Monday night oil Flaxbourne, but she was under short canvas, as was the Waitangi. During yesterday much tuixie.v was expressed in Lyttelton as to the safety of the Rainbow, but a Press Association telegram states that she is safe in Cloudy Bay.

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