FEBRUARY WEATHER

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 55, 7 March 1939, Page 5

FEBRUARY WEATHER

DRY CONDITIONS

GROWTH OF GRASS CEASES

During the first w^ek of February there were widespread rains with some heavy falls in the northern half of the North Island but, thereafter, ■ until the end of the month, except in the far south, extremely dry conditions prevailed. Numbers of places, indeed, had no rain at all during this period. The drought was accentuated by the effects of the strong winds which occurred on several occasions. Warm weather was experienced for a few days at both the beginning and the end of the month, but the remainder was very cold for the time of year.

The growth of grass has now ceased almost everywhere and in some districts feed is beginning to be short. Stock are feeling the pinch in a few areas, especially where drinking water is scarce, but generally are still in good condition. The milk yield is declining rather rapidly. Turnip, rape, and other small crops have suffered very severely in much of the South Island. Many wheat crops in Canterbury also are turning out light. Stone fruits have done well. White butterflies are seen everywhere but seldom in great numbers. Most other pests are less prevalent than usual. Some damage has been done by bush fires and con- j siderable anxiety is felt regarding the danger from them. EXCEPTIONALLY DRY. The only part of the Dominion which recorded more than the average rainfall for February was the southern portion of the South Island. Generally, the South Island fared relatively better than the North, but except in the area mentioned, the month was everywhere exceptionally dry. A large proportion of the country received less than 20 per cent, of the average. Nelson, Taupo, and a few other places had only 2 per cent. In Stewart Island, on the other hand, more than twice the normal for February was experienced. The warm spell in the last week brought up the average temperatures considerably, but they were still below normal at most places. It was particularly cold on the west coast. During the second and third weeks cold weather was almost continuous. In the interior, especially of the Souia Island, where there was more sunshine than on the coast, warmer conditions prevailed and at numbers of places the mean temperature was above normal Most districts had considerably above the average bright sunshine. Rotorua, Tauranga, Timaru, and Queenstown, for example, having over 40 hours more. Most of the West Coast, however, had less, and at Hokitika the deficit was 57 hours. Queenstown had 260.7, Nelson 250.3, Tauranga 246.2, Alexandra 246.0, and Napier 245.9 hours. PRESSURE SYSTEMS. At the beginning of the month a depression was located off East Cape and some heavy rains fell north of Hawke's Bay. Again, from the 4th to the 6th, a depression with a good northward extension crossed the Dominion, causing widespread rain. There were some heavy falls in the Auckland Province in association with centre of low pressure which crossed the Auckland Peninsula. The precipitation accompanying these two storms was very valuable to northern districts in view of the drought which followed. On the sth to 6th there was some snow on the ranges of the South Island. Except for slight disturbances affecting the southern portion of ths South Island, fine and settled weather prevailed from the 7th to the 13th. Between the 14th and 16th a rather deep westerly depression passed in the south and was responsible for north-westerly, followed by south-westerly, gales. From the 18th to the 19th a much deeper depression of the same type passed, barometers falling below 29 inches in the far south. The gales on this occasion, particularly the north-westerly, were very boisterous and considerable damage was done from Taranaki and Hawke's Bay southwards. Except on the west coast and in far southern parts of the South Island, the storm produced little rain. [ During the remainder of the month particularly settled weather prevailed i with very little rain anywhere.

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Fogs were unusually numerous and widespread throughout the month.