WEATHER REPORT FOR APRIL.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12505, 18 May 1906, Page 7

WEATHER REPORT FOR APRIL.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, May 17. The meteorological report for April aays that tho season of aratumn is usually associated with the most agreeable weather oif the year, and though in tho middle of April the atmospheric conditions were all that could be desired, and several places also recorded fine weather during the month, yet the same cannot unfortunately be said to be the general experience of the colony. Local variations during April were more striking than usual, and are mostly to be accounted for by local considerations. These differences are due to the natural conformation of the country in relation to aspects, proximity of altitudes, mountains, etc. Thus, in ono place, a north-west wind will almost invariably bring rain, but in another locality a nor'-wester is proverbially dry. In the North Island fho number of rainy days was generally much above the aver_jgo, but in many places, especially in parts near the coast, the rainfall was, owing to the showers being light, considerably below tho normal. In the South Island, rains wero generally heavy about the 20th, and heavy rahis occurred throe days earlier in Tasmania, whence tho storm came. The greatest falls wore recorded in some places a week later. The early part of the month was associated with vory unsettled conditions, which hardly admit of generalisation. Tho lost week of the month is memorable for a storm of very wide extent. Tho barometer fell over an inch in the south, and there was almost the same amount of difference between tho extreme north and tho south of tho colony on the 27th, when a fierce westerly galo raged in many places. A remarkable feature in connection with this storm during tho last week of April was the rising of the gales towards midnight, while the winds were not nearly so strong in the daytime. They were the worst gales experienced for a long time. The lateness and dulnesß of the summer in New Zealand contrast strangely with the reports from experience this year in the southern tropics. There it has been unusually hot and dry, with few storms. The greater evaporation which this shows will account for the increased cloudine&s and humidity experienced in these higher latitudes.