A DRY SPELL

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 133, 1 March 1929, Page 10

A DRY SPELL

FEBRUARY’S SMALL RAINFALL PARTIAL DROUGHT THIS YEAR Last month’s rainfall at Wellington was only 80 points (four-fifths of an inc h)—the smallest recorded during February for 21 years. Rain fell on six days last month and most of it was registered on the first two days. The falls recorded were:— 24 hours ended 9 a.m. February 1, 29 points; February 2, 38 points; February 14, 4 points; February 15, 1 point; February 16, 7 points; February 18, 1 point; total, SO points, or less than onethird of the mean rainfall for February. There has been practically no rain iu Wellington for twelve days—the fall recorded has been only 13 points since the morning of February 2. The absence of rain at Wellington is apparent from the parched appearance of the hills around the harbour. Gardeners are feeling the situation badly, and they and the farmers throughout the province would welcome a good downpour of rain. The rainfall during January was only 215 points, or barely two-thirds of the average for that month, but the showers in January, following the excessive rainfall of De cember —over 8 inches—produced a ' flush of feed, so that up to the present farmers have not felt the pinch very badly. It is recalled that January of last year was a very dry month, only 19 points being registered at Wellington. February made partial amends with a fall of 358 points—half an inch above normal —but March was again a dry month, with only 138 points, compared with a mean of 329 points. The total rainfall for the first two months of this year has been only 295 points—barely 3 inches —compared with 377 points for the corresponding period of last year, so that unless good rains fall soon the position will become somewhat serious for farmers and gardeners. The following table taken from the Wellington rainfall records kept since 1865 shows the driest months experienced since 1887, the means for the respective months being given at the lop of each column: —

' . - Jan. Pts. Feb. Pts. March Pts. Mean .... 331 307 329 1929 .... 215 80 —- 192S .... 19 358 138 1927 .... 68 182 339 1922 .... 68 107 681 1916 .... 58 185 ' 142 1915 .... 173 125 461 190S .... 64 3 487 1898 .... 95 185 247 1887 .... 18 143 190