FEBRUARY WEATHER

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 137, 6 March 1941, Page 8

FEBRUARY WEATHER

Sunny Month With Normal Temperatures

February was a sunny month with normal temperatures, according to the Director of Meteorological Services, Dr. M. A. F. Barnett, who in his report for the month, says: “Over most of the North Island it was dry with only light winds, but from the Wellington Province southward it was frequently windy, and, though rain was heavy in the central region, fine days predominated.

The main harvesting has been completed under favourable conditions, but in the low rainfall areas as well as in others where drying winds have been persistent, pastures have become brown and are at a standstill. At present the prospects for green and root crops for winter feed are not very bright. The diamond-back moth is reported to be damaging turnip and rape crops and white butterflies are increasingly in evidence.

“Largely as a result of the three days of heavy rain toward the middle of tlie month, rainfall totals for the area from the Manawatu Gorge south to Hokitika and Christchurch were in excess of normal, in several eases by more than 100 per cent. The remainder of the west coast of the South Island was rather wetter than usual, but over the rest of New Zealand the month was very dry. Totals were under half the average in the Auckland and Hawke’s Bay Provinces, as well as in eastern and northern Otago, where the position has become acute. The greatest deficiencies were experienced between Napier and East Cape. ‘•Temperatures did not depart appreciably from normal, but the tendency was toward mildness, specially in eastern districts. A few light frosts occurring in inland districts caused practically no damage. Some snow fell on the higher levels in the south about February 12. “Sunshine: Except in Westland, sunshine figures exceeded average values, many eastern and northern stations having the equivalent of an hour a day more than usual.