WEATHER IN 1921

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17343, 3 January 1922, Page 6

WEATHER IN 1921

RAINFALL AND TEMPERATURE RECORDS.

Observations recorded by Mr H. FSkey at the Christchurch Magnetic Observatory during the past year showthat tho total rainfall for 1921 was loss than in 1920, tho total recorded loi 19'>1 being 23.Q3Gin. for 120 days, as compared with 20.475 in. for H-' dnys in 1920. In 1919 tho total was 21.9K0 for 114 days; in 1918 it was 25.902'n. for 100 days; in 1317, 27.888 in for lodays; in 1916, 24.261 in. for 14< davs; m 1915, 10.694 in. for 185 days. The driest year recorded in tho twenty years during which the Observatory has been established was 1915. when tho rainfa was only 15.094 in. for 135 days. December 1921 was the driest December experienced during the past twenty years.

Tho table which follows pivca the total rainfall and tha total number of clays on. which rain fell for tho years ctated:

Tho following table gives, for 1921, the approximate mean temperature and tho extreme . maximum and extreme minimum temperature for each month:

January 3rd was the hottest day since January 30th 1903, when 95.3 was recorded in the shade and 159 in the sun. On the 29th there was extremely heavy rainfall between 8.45 a.m. and 9.30 a.m., with thunder ; the'rainfall being Q.3G!) in. A fog was experienced on the morning of the 24th. Wind: 12 days from N.E., 4 from E., 1 from 5.,.8 from S.W., 5 calm days. In February the wind was from N.E. on 9 days; from E. on 1; from S.W. on 9; from W. on 2; from N.W. on 1; there were 0 calm days. In March the wind was from the N. on 4 days; from N.E. on 9; from E. on 4; from S. on 1; from S.W. on 5; from W. on 2; from N.W. on 2; 4 calm days. In April the wind was from the N. on 1 day; from N.E. on 12 days; from E. on 2; from S.W. on 8; from W. on 2; from N.W. on 2; there were 3 calm days. In May a gale was experienced on the 26th; fog on 21st and 22nd; and auroras were seen on the nights of loth and lfith. The wind was from N. on 1 day; from N.E. on 6 days; from E. on 5; from SE. on 'I; from S.W. on 10; there were 8 onlm days.

In June the wind was from N.E. on G days; from E, on 1; from S.E. on 1; from S.W.. on 16; from N.W. on 1; there were 5 calm days. In July tlx? wind was from N.E. on 8 days; fropn, E. on 1; from S.E. on ] ; from S.W'. on 11; from W. on 2; from N.W. on 3; there were 5 calin days. In August the wind was from N. on 1 day; from N.E. on 9 days; from E. on 1; from S.W. on 9; from N.W. on 2; there were 9 calm days. In September the wind was from N. on 1 day; from N.E. on 6 days; from E. on 4: from S. on 1; from S.W. on 11: from W. on 1; there were G calm days.

In October, the wind was from N. on 1 uay; from N.E. on 9 day?; from E. on 2; from S.W. on 13; from W. on 1; from N.W. on 2; there were three calm days. In November the wind was from N. on 1 day; from N.E. on 11 days; from E. on 3; from S.W. on 9; from W. on 1; from N.W. on 3; there were two calm days. December, 1921, was the driest December in the past twenty years. The wind was from the N. on 2 days; N.E., 12 days; E., 1 day; S., 4 days; S.W., 8 days; N.W., 1 day; and there were three calm days. Tho corresponding detail for 1020 and brief notes regarding the wrather were: j~" o' • < • E <« . 5 • 2 S 2' g . & &■ fc J & <{ S2 O O January .. 68.9 85.2 4th 38.0 15th February .. 60.4 87.9 9th 42.0 24th March .. 68.6 82.8 16th 38.0 BCth April .. 64.9 7'J.3 3rd 35.0 22n<l May 45.7 65.9 3rd 26.1 21st June .. 45.2 65.3 12th 29.9 26th July 44.0 67.0 3rd 24.8 27th August .. 42.2 G6.G 3rd 26.0 27th ■September -• 46.6 C 4.3 13th 31.13d-7th October .. 54.3 75.1 28th 34.2 2Cth November .. 55.5 83.1 26th 84.7 13tlv D&cembor .. fc9.9 84.5 27th 40.1 4th On January loth there was a slight fall of hail; on the 18th a 6olar halo was observed. March was a very dry month, with a prevalence of north-e;isterly winds—the driest March recorded in Christchurch for eighteen years past. May was a very rainy month, characterised by light winds up to The closing ten days, on which high S.W. winds continued, with heavy rains, some snow, and very wintry conditions; and a thunderstorm on tho 29th. Gales, or high winds, were experienced on the 21st, 22ndj 2'7th, 29th, and 30th; thunder on the 29th; remarkable raine on the 29th and 30th; there was a light fall of snow on the 28th, and hril fell on the 29th. In November there was a S.W. "ale on tho sth, thunder on the 10th, nail fell on the afternoon of the 10th, the morning of the 14th, and the afternoon of the 30th. In December a gala wan experienced

on tho 12th. It. is noteworthy tint th© extreme maximum nir tomp'Ta:-ire f (ir the month (§1.5 degrees) i'' on the 27th, and th.it on the -»; ida? the mnximum rainfall lor the month (0.672 inches) fell. Tlw corresponding details for oich sr.cnji in 1019 were:— * 4 t. n. „• d ' C ' v c *•- « § 3 §•? ? t* 3 ' r~ ? * SS i:".- " t-'-h 5 January .. 5;"».5 f-7 2"r.l February GO.B 81.S Ifith '' 1 y.'i March .. 68." S'.H Jn.l "" s yiApril .. 52.5 ToCTthvVS'.h.M • M.iw ~ 47.7 f>7.3 4th Juno .. 411.7 fifi.fi lOih 1; .;. July ~ 41.0 C;\B Km! .7 : August 46.5 C 7.9 *sti» "! i j'th September ~ 4(>.0 74.9 '2lst J M j:j October .. SS.G ~".fi 2-' rtl n.' 1 November .. ."m.S 7-1.1 '.ft "i " 3- ■ Deccmbar .. 57.19 SI.I 19'.h 1 1 TWENTY YEARS' RAINFALL. INTERESTING RECORDS

Appended is a table, prepared by Mr H. F. Skey, of tho Chrstchuri h M-,-. netic Observatory, giving the avornr.< monthly rainfall recorded at the observatory for the prist twenty year*. These records aro of particular interest to farmers. Commenting on the table, Mr Skey states: It is significant that during tinfive years, I'M3-1 7 (inclusive;, th" peak of rainlall was in .May, and tint it became more pronounced in these years. Ordinarily, July is the m> nth which shows the peak ef rainfall, December close'y appro.umat in;; that month. The noteworthy t a l in respect of the rainfall lor I'.llH 17 i- thnt the years 191-1 and li'lo were tir<m_-h.t years in Canterbury, and tlu> ,-»en:> •<> givo some basis for the conclusion tlmt a high rainfall in May -s an indication of an approaching season of dioueht. Tho year 1920 also exhibited a peak o! rainfall in May, and though itso!t' showed a rainfall f'rnost- appi emmating to the average yearly rainfall for the past twenty years it was followed by a year (1921) in which the rainfall was about 2J inches lielow that average. These facts appear to sho-.v that rainfall records ore worthy of consideration in respect of the possibility of foretelling seasonal weather conditions. A drv December, such as wa» experienced in 1921, is significant n* indicating mi early harvest; and tho dryness of tho Canterbury plains last month, as contrasted with the greenness of tho country from Oarnarti southward, is very pronounced. Tho avernge monthly rainfall for the past twenty years (19(>2-T"'2l V and th«. averngo number of dnys on whi-h rain fell for each month ot the year are as follows:—

Kainfall. for the ns folTho detailed rninfnll ficures vonrs 1919, 1920, nnd 1921 ore Iowa: — 19\». 1920. 1921. J 5} w . "1 >» . 8 t» . 13 0 a January § S« 1 (31 8.055 13 ts 2.732 8.4o5 0.122 rt 1 ■ a £ "3 S £ 9 4.62 1R a 0.9.1 6 February 0.211 0 <i 1 214 5 March 0.601 4 n 2.063 7 1» 2.2SU 0 8 3.107 14 5 0.881 8 15 1.191 10 15 2.2CS 7 11 3.041 20 12 1.147 13 7 0.230 6 April May Juna July August September Oct-obor November December 1.814 10 1.614 8 2.589 7 2.683 13 1.658 14 3.013 13 1.410 7 2.089 11 1.239 8 2. 4.383 1.037 1.417 2.119 8.667 1.201 1.749 1.450 Tim follovine Bhowi s tho maximum rainfall on ono day In each month of 10'AI anu 1921: — 1920. 1921. Month. Inches. Date. Inches. Dato. January 2:.079 2-1 th 0.91 16ta 22nd February 1.590 27th 0.489 March 0.060 18 th 0.625 19th April C.919 9th 1.32 18th May 1.023 30th 0.787 11th Juno 0.082 24th 0.754 17th July 0.503 10th 0.251 3rd Ausrust 0.792 6th 0.3.1S 29th September 1.601 21st 1.042 17th Ootober (1.369 80th 0.623 6th November 0.519 13th 0.535 16th December 0.G72 27th 0.118 22nd

Total No. of dnya rainfnli. on ivliich Yoar. Incites. rain fell. 1902 28.780 120 1903 18.998 118 1904 33.351 130 1905 28.440 133 1906 29.493 - 126 1907 19.609 1.31 • 1906 25.917 133 1909 85.282 130 1910 25.181 121 1911 29.853 , 127 1912 27.294 146 1913 27.3S4 141 1914 19.GOO 124 1915 15.634 135 1916 21.261 147 1917 27.888 162 1918 28.903 165 1919 21.986 114 1920 25.473 112 1921 28.036 The Temperature 120

£ 8 tt 6' I" 5 A 13 d. 0) i D< d o n d a 3 ~ a P $ d i S rt a <i <, H 0 CI January 60.0 9J.3 3rd 44.4 8Ui February 69,li 79.1 26th 41.7 22nd March 67.6 78.5 3rd 36.3 22nd April 61.8 73.1 13 th 81.3 14tii May 49.7 69.3 24th 80.9 9th June 45.2 69.1 1st 26.2 27th July 44.8 67.7 16th 26.7 2ath August 45.3 63.0 11th 23.6 filii September 49.4 73.6 11th bi.S 3rd October 63.0 72.7 1st 85.4 24 ui November 5G.9 80.7 20th 39.1 ytu December 59.4 83.6 17th 33.7 21st

Bnirfiill Inrll'"' >,o. rf Rai'iv <1^ January .. 2.2D7 lO.i February .. 1.772 : ( March . 2.1M t>.' April 1.H71 If.r, Slay .. 2..12'.) 12 " Juno .. 2.Mn i '.S July .. 2.R", 0 1.1 H Aujriist .. 1.501 11 i Srptcmbor .. 2.122 I'M Otnbi-r .. l.W.T in ."i Novembor Deoember .. 1.5W .. 2.408 11.7 •.on Totah .. 25.7GG 131.1