WEATHER IN JULY

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 31, 5 August 1936, Page 4

WEATHER IN JULY

LOW TEMPERATURES

AND LOW BAROMETERS

July preserved the character of the preceding portion of this year for a prevalence of fine and mild weather interspersed with phenomena of re-cord-breaking intensity, xemarks Dr. E. Kidson in his summary of 'the month's weather as it affected the Dominion as a whole.

- Though temperatures were below normal and hard irosts weie numerous, especi>y in the North Island, stock and vegetation do not appear to have suffered.to any extent. Stock, indeed, are almost everywhere reported to be in good condition, and ample feed is available. Vegetation seems to be further advanced than usual, there being signs of growth, particularly in the.leaf buds of trees. Spring flowers, also, are commencing to bloom. Grass has not grown much, but retains satisfactory condition. Farm work is well -in hand, principally owing to earlier fine weather. In heavy soils, however, the ground is waterlogged and cultivation at a standstill. The cold spell which was setting in at. the end of the month may prove to be the cause of some damage. Fogs were unusually prevalent. RAINFALL VARIES. In'the North Island, though the rainfall was in general above average, there were numerous exceptions. Vhus the .Auckland Province, from Russell southward to Tauranga, received less than the normal amount. So, also, did parts of Taranaki and Hawke's Bay. In the South Island, Nelson and the West Coast had, somewhat less than normal, but elsewhere the was a very wet one. Numbeis of places in Otago had double the average fall. Wet days were more numerous than usual, the only spell of settled weather occurring in the third week. Temperatures were everywhere below the normal for July. In western districts, from Taranaki southwards, the departures "were generally only slight, but in most of the lest of the country they 'were somewhat over a degree. The South Island experienced frosts in approximately the average number and intensity. In the North Island, however, from one end to the oth£r, they .were unusually numerous and sharp. At this time of year and in the fine and relatively windless weather in which they occurred, they .were responsible for little damage. There is a considerable amount of snow on the mountains. In general, the amount of sunshine did riot differ greatly from the average land there was no marked general trend in the departures. Of two places rather near each other, one would have rather rriore and one rather less than normal..;Taurariga had 177.4 hours, Nelson 163.0, and Napier 158.8 hours. VERY LOW PRESSURE. The weather of the first week was very unsettled with general rain on most days. Violent storms passed on the 3rd and on the morning of the 6th. On the 3rd there were westerly, gales over the North .Island and southwesterlies in the south. Snow fell to low levels on the ranges, and there were numerous hailstorms. A few severe thunderstorms, also, werfi recorded. On the 4th a cyclone, which had been' causing bad weather in south-eastern Australia, was advancing across the Tasman 'Sea. On the sth it suddenly \ deepened' and advanced rapidly on to the" South Island. Several secondary depressions followed it r causing the pressure to fall still further. Early-on the morning of the 6th, barometers at ; the-,Bluff and in the vicinity, reached the record low level for New Zealand of 28 33 inches. Though not^so low elsewhere, the readings .in many places transgressed all previous records. From the sth to the 6th, severe' westerly gales were experienced in most parts of the country. The rain was heavy, and in a few places moderate flooding occurred. Numerous hail and sleet showers were again reported, with snow down to low levels on the hills. i After strong southerly winds on the 7th, which in places reached gale force, fine weather ruled in most places until the 16th. Pressure- over the Dominion was generally high. HEAVY RAIN AND GALES. Another rather severe storm approached from the Tasman Sea on the 16th and by the time the disturbance had finally passed on the 21st, heavy rains had fallen everywhere. A certain amount of flooding occurred at Whakatane, and in Taranaki, , Marlborough, and Otago. Northerly gales blew on the 18th and 19th about and north of Cook Strait. Otherwise, from the 19th till the end' of the month, there .was .a strong prevalence of southerly 'winds.

-On the 27th a cyclone approached from the west and in the following days, as it passed, caused heavy and general rains. On the 30th, southerly gales set in and continued till August 1. On the 31st snow was falling in eastern - districts of. the South Island, with hail and sleet in many other parts.