THE WEATHER IN AUGUST

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27445, 3 September 1954, Page 3

THE WEATHER IN AUGUST

LINCOLN COLLEGE REPORT

Cultivation has been more or less at a standstill, but recent drying winds and soil moisture conditions should soon permit commencement of spring cultivation, says a report on observations made at Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, during August. Stock continued to thrive and consumed considerable quantities of supplementary feed. Lambing continued steadily and fortunately the peak had not been reached when a south-east storm set in. Losses would have been heavy otherwise. In home gardens lawns commenced growing and early flowering shrubs and plants came into flower during the month. The month was moderately cool with some sudden changes. Rainfall was 00.82 inches above average, but in other respects the month was normal. Soil conditions were dry until a south-east storm in the middle of the month resulted in an inch and a half of rain. Pastures and lucerne have shown slow growth since that rain. The following is a summary of readings taken, with those for August, 1953, in parenthesis:— Mean height of barometer, 29 J47ln (30.025 in mean humidity, 72.0 per cent. (91.1 per cent.); mean maximum temperature, 53.1 deg (52.8deg)* highest maximum temperature (on August 26), 67.2 deg (62.8) mean minimum temperature, 34.3 deg (36.3); lowest minimum temperature (on August 9), 22.3 deg (26.1); mean grass minimum temperature, 28.4 deg (32.0); lowest grass minimum temperature (on August 9), ll.Pdeg (21.0); mean temperature for month, 43.7 deg (44.6); mean range of temperature for month, 18.8 deg (16£); mean earth temperature (Bin), 41.9 deg (42.8) days of frost, 18 (17): rainfall. 2.97 in (3.481 n rainfall to date, 15.671 D (23.87ih); hours of sunshine, 136 J (121.8); mean amount of cloud (0-8), 4.6 (6JZ); miles of wind, .6338 (6163); mean force of wind, 2.6 miles an hour (2.4); evaporation for month, 1304 (1530). Temperatures (compared with station mean), maximum 53.1 degrees (50.8). minimum 34.3 (35.8), mean, ,43.7 (43J); sunshine, 136.2 hours (142.8 hours); rainfall, 2.97 in (2.15). . All observations were madeat 9 a JU.