WARM AND HUMID

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 132, 1 December 1938, Page 5

WARM AND HUMID

NOVEMBER'S 1 WEATHER

VEGETATION BENEFITS

Wellington's feather throughout November was cloudy, warm, and humid, with much less wind than usual. In spite 6t the damp atmosphere, however, the rainfall was far below the average. The soil being warm, vegetation of all kinds has grown vigorously, and there have, been few springs with blooms so profuse as they are this year. The mean maximum temperature for the month recorded at Kellburn was 64.4 degrees, the previous average for November being 62.3 degrees. The mean minimum temperature was 50.5 degrees, as against 49.5 degrees in previous Novembers. The approximate mean temperature for the month was theYefore 57.4 degrees, or 1.5 degrees above normal. ' The highest maximum was 71.3 degrees on the 12th, and the lowest minimum 44.2 degrees on the 20th. The average grass minimum was 46.4 degrees, 44.4 degrees being the previous I November average, with 36.1 degrees on the 6th, as the lowest reading. There were, therefore, no frosts. Temperatures, in fact, were remarkably uniform throughout ( the month, there being no very warm' and no very cold spells. The mean temperature at 9 a.m. was 59.3 degrees, 57.3 degrees being the average for previous Novembers. At that hour the relative humidity of the atmosphere --averaged 76 per cent., whereas the normal figure for November is 73 per cent. Last month's average relative humidity was the highest recorded in November since 1928, when the figure was 77 per cent., but the moisture present throughout last month was greater than that in 1928. Barometrical readings at 9 a.m. averaged 29.957 inches, 29.874 inches being the average of previous Novembers. The highest reading was 30.390 inches on the 27th, and the lowest 29.268 inches on the 21st. Cloud at 9 a.m. averaged 8.1 tenths of the sky covered, the greatest amount in November since 1929 when the figure was 8.2 tenths. LITTLE WIND AND RAIN. The month on the whole was remarkably free from wind, although there were one or two occasions when it blew hard. .The average daily run of wind was only 183 miles, 262 miles bping the average daily run for previous Novembers. A very boisterous north-westerly gale on the 21st gave the highest 24-hour total of 508 miles, and there were north-westerly gales on the 11th and 25th also. •/The month's rainfall at Kelburn was 1.99 inches, whereas the normal fall for November is 2.99 inches. The rainfall was therefore 33 per cent, below normal. The heaviest fall was one of 58 points on the 9th. In spite of the relatively low rainfall, rain fell on more days than the average—on 14 as against 13, with a trace on four other days. The'amount,of bright sunshine was a little less .than normal. It totalled 191.9 hours, the November average of previous years being 207.5 hours. The average per day was 6.4 hours, or 44 per cent, of the possible. There were no fewer than five days during the month when the sun refused to shine at all, the first four days of the month being particularly cheerless and producing only 1.5 hours of bright sunshine between therriV Meteorological phenomena were scarce during the month. Some hail fell early in the morning of the 10th, and on the night of the 19th some lightning was seen.*