CONTINUATION OF HEAT WAVE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 113, 6 February 1935, Page 10

CONTINUATION OF HEAT WAVE

Summer Likely to Be Hottest on Record REVIEW OF CONDITIONS IN JANUARY r “The present summer bids fair to be the hottest ever experienced in the Dominion,” stales Dr. E Kidson, Director of Meteorological Services, in prefacing his review of tlie weather throughout New Zealand during January. The fact that conditions since the end of the mouth both in Wellington and elsewhere have been exceptionally hot lends additional justification for Dr. Kidson’s prediction. Yesterday Wellington sweltered, the heat being fully as trying as during the week-end' Tlie lightest of summer clothes were worn by city dwellers, and beaches and baths were crowded with bathers. Reports from other districts indicate a continuation of drought conditions in many areas, although in the north the weather has become more unsettled. Thunderstorms with heavy rain were experienced at National Park, a report from that area last evening stating that the storms appeared to be moving south-east. January Temperatures. Dr. Kidson’s review of New Zealand’s weather during January states that, though not quite so much above normal as December, tlie mean temperatures during tlie month were very high. “Rainfall was again much below average over a large part of the country, and though many drier Januaries have been experienced, the continued rain shortage, combined with tlie very high temperatures, has resulted in serious conditions for the farmer in most of the more thickly settled districts,” Dr. Kidson says. “Pastures are, in general, burnt up and in many places there is a shortage of water. “The milk yield has fallen off very greatly, and stock are beginning to lose condition. Cereal crops will be light, and the grain in many cases shrivelled. Many of tlie crops were late sown, ami the dry weather has been more severe on them than would otherwise have been .the case. Crop Prospects Not Good. “The prospects for fodder crops are not good. Insect pests are rather troublesome in some districts. Nelson, Westland, part of Otago and Southland, and somd? of the high country of tlie North Island, are in much better condition than the rest of the Dominion, but for tlie country as a whole the position is a serious one and rain is very badlv needed. “Heavy rains were recorded in the western half of the South Island. Parts of Eastern Otago and South Canterbury and of the high country in Taranaki and Wellington also fared well. Elsewhere the mouth was a very dry one. The position is most acute in'the Waikato, Buy of Plenty, and East Coast districts of tlie North Island and most of Canterbury and Marlborough. , “Temperatures were everywhere considerably above the normal. In some ■parts Janu'ary, 1887, was hotter, but for the Dominion as a whole last month was probably the hottest January hitherto experienced. In the North Island the departures from average were everywhere large, but in the south conditions were less uniform. There were not many high temperature records broken, but it was almost continuously warm, and many readings above OOdeg. were registered. Some Areas More Normal. “South of Nelson and Marlborough the -amount of sunshine recorded did not, as a rule, differ greatly from tlie average for January, but elsewhere the month was a very sunny one. Tauranga reports 327,6 hours. Blenheim 299.1, and Napier 293.9. “Typical summer weather conditions prevailed throughout the month. Numerous depressions travelled,across the Tasman •Sea and New Zealand, but they were generally quick-moving, shallow, _ and of complicated form. As in the previous two months. they were much less vigorous over New Zealand than over Australia, and none of them produced a really good general rain. Again, also, there was an absence of strong outbreaks of cold air from the south, although Australia experienced a number. “Disturbed weather prevailed, also, in the Pacific Island groups. There .was a considerable amount of westerly -wind, especially over the South Island, and consequently frequent heavy rains occurred on the west coast and in the ranges Of the South Island. Some of these extended to the high country in Wellington and Taranaki. Such rains occurred on the 7th to 9th. 25th and 26th, and 'the 28th and 29th.

“Between the Ist and 3rd, two depressions following'closely on one another brought widespread rains. _ with heavy falls in many places. 'This was the .wettest period of the month. “Again, between the 17th and the 22nd, a depression which, though shallow, Was of a shape more favourable for rain than most of the remainder, and which was followed by a fairly strong southerly, was responsible for almost general falls. Unfortunately. however, they were in many cases only light.”