FEBRUARY WEATHER

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 138, 7 March 1942, Page 9

FEBRUARY WEATHER

More Summerlike The Director of Meteorological Ser. vices, Mr. M. A. F. Barnett, reporting on the weather during February, states that for most of the country February was more summerlike than the two preceding months; but a long spell of easterly weather in the middle of the month made conditions dull and damp, specially east of the North Island ranges. The dry weather prevailing in Auckland, and, to a lesser degree, in Taranaki province, has burnt up the. pastures,, and milk production is showing a considerable decline. On the other hand, Hawke’s Bay and Wairarhpa are unusually green. There has been sufficient raiu in the South Island to give abundant growth in most districts. The persistence of showery' conditions has made harvesting difficult at times and has delayed the ripening of seed and grain. It appears that oats and wheat have fairly heavy crops. Rainfall was light in Auckland and Taranaki, this feature being most marked in the Northland and Bay of Plenty districts. Other dry areas were centred near Nelson and Blenheim while moderate deficiencies predominated in North Canterbury, Westland and Southland. Surplus rain fell in Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa, well over double, the normal total being received in a region south of Hastings. Moderate excesses were experienced in most of the area extending from Central Canterbury to Central Otago. As in January, mean temperatures were cooler than the normal, generally by 1 or 2 degrees Fahrenheit. Though a'few light frosts occurred during the cold spell about February 4 and 5, there were no unusual extremes of temperature. . .

The Auckland province had an appreciable excess of sunshine above the normal and. apart from the Wairarapa, most other districts approached or slightly exceeded the average.