THE WEATHER IN NOVEMBER

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 21033, 8 December 1933, Page 19

THE WEATHER IN NOVEMBER

. SOUTHERLY WINDS PREVALENT DAMAGE CAUSED BY LATE FROSTS (PEESS ASSOCIATION* TELEGBA*.) WELLINGTON, December 7. The report of the Dominion meteori ologist for November is as follows: S From the meteorological point of view November was a quiet month. Southerly or south-easterly winds were unusually prevalent and were responsible for temperatures being rather on the cold side. There was a better distribution of rainfall than in October, but Nelson and Marlborough again experienced a serious shortage, and are suffering drought conditions. Elsewhere, though supplies are not so abundant in the Waikato and Taranaki districts as last year, there is generally an abundance of pasture. Stocks are in good condition; milk yields are above normal; and in.'most districts lambs are fattening well. The heavy rains in Canterbury in the early part of the month saved the situation, particularly as regards wheat crops. On the whole, however, crops do not seem to be doing quite so well as last year. The late frosts of November 22 and 23 caused serious losses of potatoes, tomatoes, spring vegetables, and small fruits. Rainfall. Rainfall was above average north of Auckland, in the Bay of Plenty, and eastern districts of the North Island, and in most of Canterbury and Otago. In the Waikato, Taranaki, and Manawatu, the Wairarapa, Westland, Southland, and particularly Nelson and Marlborough, it was considerably below average. There was an absence of warm north-westerly rains. Temperatures. Temperatures were above normal from Auckland northwards and west of the ranges in the North Island, but east of the main range they were below. The Hawke's Bay and Poverty Bay areas had very cold weather for the time of year. In the South Island, Central Otago had a warm month, but the'remainder a cold one. The frosts :of November 22 and 23 were unusually severe for so late in the season. In South Canterbury and Otago that of November 22 was the more severe, but thence northwards, in "North Canterbury, Marlborough, Wellington, and I Hawke's Bay, it was on November 23 that the damage was done. Sunshine. I There was less sunshine than usual over the greater part of the North Island, and especially the east coast, owing to the dull weather brought by the persistent southerly and southeasterly winds. From Wellington southwards, however, the normal was | exceeded at most places by large ! amounts. Lake Tekapo recorded 285.5, .Nelson 271.0, and Blenheim 254.0 hours. Pressure Systems. During the first three days pressure was high and the weather fine. On the afternoon of November 2, however, during a heat thunderstorm at Omata, near New Plymouth, a Maori was struck by lightning and killed, a rare occurrence in New Zealand. Between November 3 and 6 a cyclone moved down from the north on to New Zealand, becoming more extensive in the process. This storm produced general rains, which were of very great value to the country. • The heaviest fall was on November 5, when the storm was in the form of an irregular cyclone, covering the central portion of the Dominion. The principal wheat growing areas of Canterbury received between 2J and 5 inches. Large amounts were recorded also in eastern Otago and in Hawke's Bay. In the latter district there were heavy thunderstorms. Though cold weather followed it and there was snow on the high levels, especially in Canterbury, the rain was a fairly mild one. North Auckland had heavy rain in the early part of this storm. About a week later, on November 11.and 12, another depression caused widespread rain, Canterbury again having heavy falls. This depression was of the westerly type, but a cyclone developed in its northern portion. The third storm system occurred between November 20 and 24. Following the passage of a westerly depression on the night of November 20 a series of cyclones developed over the. northern part of the Tasman Sea and passed to the north of the Dominion. Rains were again fairly general, but the parts principally affected were the northern and eastern portions of the North Island. From the morning of November 22 cold southerly or south-easterly wiflds prevailed over the greater part of the country, A

somewhat similar type of weather was experienced from' November 27 to 30, but on this occasion there was very little rain in the South Island, and the cold was much less severe.