COLD AND STORMY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 6, 8 January 1930, Page 7

COLD AND STORMY

DECEMBER WEATHER

DOMINION SUMMARY.

la his summary of the -weather "expcrieuccd by'the .Dominion as a whole during last December, Dr. E. Kidson,, director of Meteorological Services,! points out that the month -was a -wet] and stormy one. Although eastern districts experienced some hot and sultry days, there was less than the average amount of sunshine and temperatures were considerably below normal. The only considerable areas where rainfall was below the December average were in the northern half of the Auckland Peninsula and in Eastern portions of the North Island from Hawkes Bay to East Cape. Over all western distracts and in the high country of the interior, precipitation was heavily m excess of the normal. Most of the stormy weather was associated with the passage of centres across the South Island. Gales from between north and west were experienced to the north of the centres, while to the south of them, easterly or south-easterly winds prevailed. It was these latter which accounted to _a large have been rather frequent, and in many cases severe. A largo proportion were accompanied by showers of hail. A considerable amount of fog was reported from both northern and southern extremities of the Dominion. The Union Steamship Company's s.s. Manuka was lost during dense fog prevailing between the Bluff and Duncdin on the night of the 16th. Although rather late for some crops, especially oats, the rains were of very, creat benefit to 'farmers in Canterbury and Otago: The prospects, especially for wheat and root crops, have improved very much, and feed is plentitui. The abnormal number of wet days and the heavy rain have proved adverse to haymaking over a large part- of the country, and shearing has been retarded The weather has been too humid, also, for fodder to be in its most nourishing condition. But. on the whole, stock and crops are in satisfactory state, and the season is a good one. A spell of fine and dry weather would not be advantageous. CYCLONIC STORMS. As indicated above, the unusual frequency of cyclonic depressions, which has characterised the past two years, was fully maintained in December. Their movement was very rapid, and this was on the whole fortunate, since, although there were numbers of cases of rivers reaching flood stage, they usually receded just when serious floods appeared to be imminent, and the actual damage; was slight. The first of the cyclones referred to crossed the south-western extremity of the Dominion on the evening of the 4th. and sth, and caused boisterous weather. Eain was widespread, with many heavy falls, especially from Taranaki and Wellington southwards.- On the sth there were many thunderstorms, and at Edendale, in Southland, damage was done by a severe hailstorm. Prom the 6th to the 9th weather of the westerly type prevailed. Squally winds blew from some westerly quarter, frequently reaching gale force, and western districts, especially, experienced showery weather. On the 6th a torjiado, moving from the sea, visited Oreymouth, houses were unroofed, and much other damage done in Cowper street and Blaketown. The whirling column of vapour and debris was very clearly seen. The finest spell of weather during the month followed the westerly weather and persisted till the 15th. During this period a severe tropical cyclone developed in the Fiji group and moved slowly away. On the night of the 11th and the morning of the 12th a heavy fog in Cook Strait caused delays to shipping. On the 17th the second cyclone crossed Southern Otago and again northerly gales' and almost general rain accompanied its passage. Thunderstorms were a marked feature of this cyclone during the whole time that it was moving over the Tasman Sea and New Zea: land. The accompanying "atmospherics" were particularly frequent and violent, and wireless communication with shipping was at times greatly interfered with. On the 16th a cloudburst at Norris Mill, six miles from Westport, raised a flood in the Waimea Creek, and several bridges were damaged. Another cloudburst was reported from Pukemiro,in tho Thames Valley, on the 18th. A third cyclone traversed the Dominion on the 22nd, the centre this time crossing South Canterbury. Precipita-tion-was again general, and the southerly winds in the rear of the depression brought particularly heavy rain to the eastern districts of the South Island. Had the cyclone not moved away so quickly severe flooding would have been inevitable. As it was, the Leith stream again threatened to inundate Duhedin and parts of Christchurch were under water. At Kaikoura the phenomenal fall of 3 inches in 65 minutes was registered. Thunder and hail storms were very violent and widespread in connection with this storm, especially on the 22nd. Wireless operators again experienced tronble from '' atmospherics.'' The last of the month's cyclones moved over Southern , Otago on the ,29th. Boisterous weather and almost general rain accompanied its passage. At Wellington over 70 miles per hour was registered in a northerly gale on the 29th. Each, of the cyclonic storms described was responsible for falls of snow on the ranges in the South Island, and a number f frosts occurred.