LAST YEAR’S RAINFALL

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28792, 13 January 1959, Page 13

LAST YEAR’S RAINFALL

10 Months Below Average During 10 months of 1958, rainfall was below average, with totals of less than one inch in March, July, September and November, according to the Christchurch Meteorological Office's summary. The total rainfall for the year was 17.51 in and there has been only one previous year with a lower total—l9ls with 15.69in—since records were commenced in Christchurch in 1902, says the report. The average annual rainfall for Christchurch is 25‘.15in and in 1957 the total was 33.62 in. Absolute droughts (periods of at least 15 consecutive days without rain) were recorded in March, May, August, and September, the report says. Between June 1 and December 31, only 7in fell. U Other notable features-of the weather were: April had the highest April temperature on record—B3.3deg—and the highest April suhshine total of 194 hours. May was the mildest on record. The driest winter, on record was recorded last year. Slightly more than three inches of rain fell during June, July and August. There were only four wet days during June and the lowest number ot wet days recorded in any month was two wet days in September. November was the sunniest month with 244 .hours and the year’s-total was 2025 hours compared with the Christchurch average of 2005 hours. The highest temperature of the year was 91.0 deg recorded on February 7 and the lowest temperature was 23.2 deg recorded on July 1.