EASTER WEATHER

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 154, 27 March 1937, Page 8

EASTER WEATHER

Severe Tropical Cyclone Changes Course STRONG WINDS LIKELY In view of a most adverse weather forecast for the Easter period, a warning from the Civil Aviation Branch of the Defence Department to all aircraft pilots was issued on Thursday night. Sudden changes in the weather and gales were expected, but conditions have now improved, and the threatened cyclone advancing from the New Hebrides group on to the Dominion has altered its course. Prospects for the holidays are not, however, the best.

The severe tropical cyclone was centred on Thursday around Norfolk Island, said Dr. E. Kidson, Government Meteorologist, yesterday. A whole gale from the east blew there all day witli squalls of hurricane force, accompanied by heavy rain. The barometer at 3 o'clock that afternoon read 29.1 Sin.

“It was consequently anticipated that the cyclone centre would move to North Auckland, causing strong weather there by Friday morning,” said Dr. Kidson. "During the night, however, instead of increasing its speed, and moving in a more easterly direction as is usual, the cyclone has begun to slow up and move if anything somewhat to the west of south. “It therefore appears likely,” he stated, "that the cyclone will pass down the west coast of New Zealand some distance away, and fill up. Though strong winds to gales from the north-east and north may be expected from Nelson and Marlborough northward, with rain in most places and many heavy falls, the prospects are not at present as bad as they appeared on Thursday.” One cause in the change of the situation was the arrival of a rather deep westerly depression over West Tasmania, lie continued. This would cheek the flow of southerly winds over the New Zealand area which might have given energy to the northern cyclone. Now, the cyclone would likely become drawn into the flow of air from northeast and north into the advancing depression, and it was likely to end by merging in the latter. Yesterday morning Norfolk Island still had a whole gale, but its direction had changed to north-north-west. A north-easterly gale blew most of the day at Cape Maria Van Diemen, and rain extended as far south as Auckland. Barometers, however, were not yet falling very rapidly in the north.