'Fantastic’ Drop In Air Pressure

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31652, 11 April 1968, Page 12

'Fantastic ’ Drop In Air Pressure

(New Zealand Press Association) TAURANGA, April 10. The speed with which the tropical cyclone passed over Tauranga at 3.40 this morning and the rapid drop in air pressure which accompanied it were described as “fantastic” by the communications and meteorological officer at the Tauranga airport, Mr A..T. Marshall.

As the cyclone approached Tauranga at more than 30 knots the air pressure dropped from 1019 millibars at midnight on Monday to 1011 millibars at midday Monday. 992 millibars at midnight last night and right down to 970 millibars as the eye of the cyclone passed over the Tauranga district. From this low, believed to be a record for the area, air pressure climbed back up to 992 millibars on the recording barograph by 9 o’clock this morning. Mr Marshall said the dip which was traced on the graph paper of the record-

ing barograph in ink was “very impressive.” As soon as the eye of the cyclone passed the air pressure began to climb back up again The passing of the cyclone’s eye over the Tauranga district coincided roughly with high tide in the Tauranga harbour which was at 4 a.m.—and it was accompanied by higher-than-usual water levels. The wind died almost to a calm as the cyclone passed, and then swung 180 degrees from due east to due west and within a few minutes began to blow with seemingly equal ferocity from that direction.