DECEMBER WEATHER

Evening Star, Issue 19759, 9 January 1928, Page 12

DECEMBER WEATHER

DISTURBED BY CYCLONES [Peb United Pkess Association.] WELLINGTON, January 7. As has been remarked in the notes for previous months, a prominent characteristic of the present season has been the frequency with which cyclones have controlled the weather in New Zealand, and during December these conditions were to a largo extent maintained. With the exception of a rather intense depression which crossed the dominion on the 6th the westerly type of pressure distribution was conspicuous by its absence. Tho depression mentioned caused strong northerly winds generally, and was accompanied by heavy rains in Westland. Between the 12th and the 19th a remarkable succession of cyclones moved down from a northerly direction off tho east coast of the dominion, their centres passing just eastward of tho Chatham Islands. The precise origin of these storms is unknown, hut they maintained low pressure, cold, strong southerly winds and dull, wet weather, especially over districts with an eastern aspect, whereas our pressure variations are generally controlled mainly by systems moving from the west. During this very unusual spell the conditions over Australia and tho Tasman Sea made little impresson on the situation which developed to the east of the dominion. Some snow fell in the high country in the centre of the North Island, and some heavy rains were recorded on tho East Coast of the North Island. In Westland, though tho weather was cold, no rain fell. Follow-

ins; this period there was a complete reversal of the weather type, and the barometer vising persistently anticvclonic conditions were maintained until the 2Sth. Fine, warm weather was in consequence experienced over the Christmas holidays. During the night of the ,28th and on the 29th fairly general rains were experienced. These were associated with a cvelono which moved slowly across the Tasman Rea, the centre crossing the South Island on the 29th. The total rainfall for tho month exceeded the normal in the Fast Coast districts of tho North Island from the East Cape southwards, and at scattered places on the east coast of the South Island only. Elsewhere it was below normal, the ■ deficiency being considerable in all the western districts. The weather during tho month was unusually changeable, with wide variations of temperature. It was not until the latter end that summer conditions became established. The temperatures were on the average considerably below normal, and garden growth was again checked. Shearing operations in the North Island were delayed somewhat by the cold, wet weather. There was, however, ample feed for stock, and the season continues to he on the whole a good one.