DECEMBER WEATHER

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 5, 7 January 1944, Page 4

DECEMBER WEATHER

GENERALLY WARM AND DRY

December was a warm settled month, reports the Director of Meteorological Services, Wing Commander M. A. F. Barnett. Disturbances which crossed New Zealand were weak, and any strong winds were of short duration. Most districts have had excellent conditions for harvesting and shearing, although some of the wool has been short. There has not been sufficient rain for many of the small crops and burnt pastures are adversely affecting dairy production. By the end of the month the fire hazard throughout the country was becoming serious. With few exceptions trie month was very dry. Average totals were reached locally at Whangarei and about Taupo, and exceeded at most places between Hastings and East Cape. Other districts were dry, the South Island as a whole had only about half its usual rainfall, and Canterbury considerably less. In northern parts of that province some totals were extremely small. Mean temperatures for the month were mostly 1 or 2 degrees above normal. Temperatures were persistently high, but on the 6th there were some light frosts, affecting garden growth, in parts of Southland.

Except in the south-eastern .portion of the Auckland Province the duration of sunshine was more than average, generally by substantial amounts. Wellington (with 313.2 hours) and Hokitika experienced the largest surpluses*