To Date, 1964 Is Driest Year In N.C. Since 1924

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30536, 3 September 1964, Page 18

To Date, 1964 Is Driest Year In N.C. Since 1924

Last month the rainfall in North Canterbury was less than half that of the previous August and this helped to make this year so far one of the driest on record.

A report from Rangiora Indicated that since records were started 47 years ago there has been only one year when the first eight months were drier than this year. That was in 1924 and since then only in 1932 were the first eight months nearly as dry as this year. The near drought conditions which existed over the area at the end of last month, coupled with the heavy frosts experienced, had held back spring growth and were starting to worry farmers. The rain since the end of the month, although only a small quantity, will help to alleviate the drought conditions. However, it has also been very cold and this will not help the feed situation. Reports from the various districts were:— Rangiora In Rangiora last month only 1.04 inches of rain fell on five days, compared with 3.17 inches on 10 days during August 1963. The heaviest fall was on the eighth when 0.43 inches fell, compared with the heaviest fall last August of 1.05 inches. Last month’s rain brought the total for the year to 10.73 inches, making the first eight months of this year the driest since 1924. During the same period in 1932, 10.85 inches fell, and last year 22.65 inches.

The highest temperature last month was 68 degrees on the twenty-third, while the highest during August, 1963, was one degree less. Last month the temperature

rose above 60 degrees on eight days, compared with only three the previous August. It was in the fifties on 20 days and the forties on only three. Twenty-three frosts were recorded, compared with 22. Six of them were over 10 degrees, 13 between five and 10 degrees and the remainder under five degrees. The heaviest was 15.4 degrees on the thirtieth. Kaiapol The hottest day in Kaiapoi last month was the fourth when the temperature rose to 64 degrees, two degrees lower than the highest recorded the previous August. The coldest day was the twenty-seventh when the temperature never rose above 41 degrees. It rose into the sixties on eight days compared with only four in August, 1963. It was in the fifties on 20 days and below 50 degrees on the remaining three days. In Kaiapol 1.255 inches of rain fell on eight days compared with 3.375 in 13 days in August the previous year. The heaviest fall was 0.99 inches on the eighth. The total for this year was 10.285 inches at the end of August compared with 19.575 inches during the same period last year. Culverden The deficiency in the rainfall so far this year at Culverden is 9.78 inches. So tar 13.44 inches have fallen on 73 days compared with 23.22 inches on 79 days during the same period last year. Last month 1.35 inches fell on nine days compared with 3.79 inches during August, 1963. The heaviest fall was 0.28 inches on the tenth.

North Loburn At North Lobum, 1.68 inches fell last month on 10 days compared with 4.78 inches on 12 days during August, 1963. This brought the total so far this year to 16.74 inches compared with 33.86 inches for the first eight months of last year. Oxford In Oxford, 1.16 inches of rain fell on eight days last month compared with 4.77 inches on 11 days during August the previous year. This brought the total for the year to 18.84 inches compared with 29.42 inches during the same period last year. Twenty-three frosts between two and 16 degrees were recorded compared with only 19. between two and 15 degrees during August, 1963.