VERY DISAPPOINTING

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 137, 6 December 1935, Page 16

VERY DISAPPOINTING

NOVEMBER'S "WEATHER

DOMINION SUMMARY

As a spring month November proved very disappointing, the outstanding meteorological features being its coldness, a deficiency of sunshine, and, in most districts, an excess of rainfall, remarks Dr. E. Kidson, Director of; Meteorological Services, in his summary of the weather in November as it affected the Dominion as a whole. Although there was fairly abundant growth, pastures were somewhat lacking in nourishing qualities, and lambs, therefore, did not fatten as well as might have been , expected at - this season of the year. In dairying districts the milk yield was below normal. The constant showery conditions also interfered considerably with shearing operations. On the whole, however, stock kept in good condition, and the.summer prospects for the farming community appear to be in every way propitious.

The general rainfall exceeded .the average over the greater part of the North Island, slights deficiencies being experienced in parts of the Auckland district and the Tai-anaki Bight only. The rainfall was above normal also over the eastern half of the South Island, but below in the western half. The largest excesses occurred in Hawke's Bay and Canterbury. Napier had 65 per cent, above, while in Canterbury the percentages averaged about 80 per cent, above normal.

Temperatures were below the average over the whole Dominion, and in fact the November just passed proved, in many parts, to be one of the coldest on record. In the North Island the average departure below normal was 1.9 and in the South Island 3.3 degrees. Timaru recorded ns much as 4.9, and Christchurch 4.7 degrees below. Fortunately there were very few frosts during the month, and none of a damaging nature.

Over the greater part of the Dominion sunshine was less than the average, the only meteorological stations recording an excess being Waipoua, Auckland, Blenheim, and Hokitika. With the exception of Hokitika the excesses were very slight ones. Hawke's Bay and Canterbury had particularly low aggregates. Blenheim recorded the largest amount with 243.5 hours, Nelson coming next with 225.5 hours.

In November most of the anti•cyclones passed in northern latitudes, and consequently depressions were more numerous than usual. Indeed, there were very few days on which some part of the Dominion was not being affected by one of them.

During the first week a series of depressions of the westerly type crossed the Dominion and moderate to strong winds between north-west and southwest prevailed. The weather was rather changeable and what rain fell was chiefly of a showery and scattered nature. On the night of the 6th, however, a rather intense secondary depression passed eastwards and a strong southerly wind set in generally, accompanied by fairly widespread rain and a decided drop in temperature. A few high level stations in the South Island at this time experienced falls of snow, while there were hail showers on parts of the eastern and southern coastal areas. Cold, squally conditions continued throughout the 7th and Bth, and on the night of the 7th a severe hailstorm in the Feilding district did considerable damage to fruit trees and vegetables. Hail showers also occurred about this time at various other places in both the North and South Islands. TOUCHES OF WINTER. On the 9th fine weather was experienced in most districts except in North Auckland, where strong westerly winds with showery conditions continued to prevail. By the 10th, however, a cyclonic depression was approaching the Dominion, its centre next morning being off the west coast of the South Island. The weather again became dull ' and threatening with scattered rain, and during the

night of the 11th widespread rain accompanied a southerly change as the cyclone crossed to the east side of the Dominion. Cold, wintry-like conditions continued until the morning of the 14th, but an improvement was then setting in over most of the country, and, under the influence of a slight anticyclone, beautifully fine and warm weather prevailed on the 15th and 16th.

An extensive and complex depression then approached New Zealand and on the 17th dull, misty weather prevailed generally, rain developing in most districts with fresh to strong north-easter-ly to northerly winds. During the night of the 17th heavy rain fell in many parts of the North Island and in the northern and west coast districts of the South • Island. Scattered falls occurred on the two following days while the depressioh was crossing the Dominion, but by the morning of the 20th the weather had improved in the South Island, an anticyclone having moved on to the southern districts. A general change to southerly winds had taken place, but except about Cook Strait they were mainly only light or moderate in force, and by the 21st the weather had become fine and pleasant generally with milder temperatures. A depression located to the north-east, however, caused rain on parts of the east coast of the North Island on both the 21st and 22nd.

By the night of the 23rd the front of a westerly depression had moved on to the Dominion bringing scattered rain to western areas, and during the night of the 24th rain became more widespread, the wind turning to southerly in the South Island. This depression intensified when off the east coast, and on the 25th and 26th strong southwesterly winds blew in most parts of the country the weather being particularly cold on the latter day, but in Westland it was mainly fine. Snow fell on many of the ranges of both islands during the night.of the 25th and on the 26th, and hail showers occurred in some of the coastal areas.

From the 27th to the close of the month the weather was generally fine while an anticyclone moved slowly over the Dominion, but oh the 30th dull, misty conditions prevailed in the Cook Strait area and on the west coast of the South Island.