THE WEATHER IN AUGUST

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26208, 4 September 1950, Page 3

THE WEATHER IN AUGUST

FROSTS RECORDED ON ’ 24 DAYS Frosts on 24 days during August as- t sisted in reducing the mean grass J minimum temperature to 28.5 degrees * —1.2 degrees below average, says, the I monthly report of the Christchurch j Geophysical Observatory. The hardest « frost, registered on August 8, was ‘ 12 degrees. An average value for the ■> hardest August frosts recorded during " the last 20 years is 12.7 degrees. August was a cool, wet month, with - mean air and grass minimum tem- .* peratures below average, and earth - temperatures, humidity, rainfall, and duration of sunshine above average. " On two days. August 7 and 18, brief hail and snow showers accompanied chilly temperatures with daily mean temperatures limited tp 35 to 40 degrees. On August 30 and 31 exceptionally heavy rain was recorded. Twelve rainy days gave a total of 4.41 in. which is more than double the average August rainfall of 1.99 in. The 2.19 in of this total, which was recorded during the 24 hours preceding 9 a.m. on August 31, was the highest daily amount since May, 1945. August’s heavy rain brought the total rainfall to date this year to 21.50 in, and although this is 7.77 in greater than that of 1948. and 7.41 in greater than the 1949 total to August 31, it exceeds the average for the same, w period over the last 25 years by onlv ■ 3.66 in. The total sunshine was 179 hours —34.3 hours more than average. This was the third sunniest August since : registrations commenced in 1928. The mean monthly air temperature of 42.8 degrees was 1.5 degrees colder | than usual. Earth temperatures, in common with the three previous months, were again above average, al- i though the departures from average during August were confined to J i degrees, 1 degree, and .3 degrees at i depths of Ift, 3ft, and sft respectivelv The mean 9 a.m. humidity of 87 per cent, was 6 per cent, above average. Detailed Figures The detailed figures are:— Barometer.—Mean for month, 30.042 in; highest reading (on August 13), 30.527 in; lowest reading (on August 4). 29.2521 n. Temperature in Shade.—Mean for month; noV B „, e s r ? es: highest reading (on August -.3), 61.6 degrees; lowest reading (on August 9), 24.3 degrees. Temperature, Exposed.—Mean minimum on grass. 28.5 deg; lowest reading (on August 8). 20.0 deg. Moisture.—Mean daily amount of cloud (0.8 observed at 9.00 a.m.), 4.0; total amount of rain, 4.41 in; number of rainy days, 12; heaviest fall (on August 30), 2.1 Sin. Earth Temperatures.—Mean at a depth of Ift, 42.9 deg; mean at a depth of 3ft, 45.2 deg; mean at a depth of sft, 46.0 deg. Sunshine.—Total amount of sunshine, 179.0 hours; mean daily amount, 5.8 hours.