OCTOBER WEATHER

Evening Star, Issue 23729, 9 November 1940, Page 6

OCTOBER WEATHER

A MONTH OF WIND RAINFALL SUBNORMAL IN SOUTH United Piiess Association.] WELLINGTON, November 7. There was mucxi moie ivmu (luring this uctouer tnan 111 tue uioutns immediately preceding, aitnougu Hie windiuess was nor u,uisuai lor tue season, ‘me gaies uiowiug on tfte Zita ana ZBtn were strong ove. a wide area, causing extensive uumage to trees, teiegrapn pores, anu numerous small bunumgs, uesiues smiting tno dry topsoil Horn lauiiianus in 1,.0 aoutn. nslanu. Windy cunuitions nave produced some yellowing in Uauterouiy wiieat crops, and iu. ,e oeen ueinmentai to orcliarus. Tne vveatner went turough a variety ot rapid cnauges, out, generally speaning, tno moutn was sunny and ratner cooi, satisiactory giowtn oemg maintained, aituougn some ot the ruuiiail was too intense to give the* 5 maximum benelit to tne ground. Kumiail did not depart greatly from normal over most ot tne country. The outstanding deviations were in eastern districts suutn of (JhristchurcU and in tne tar soutn, where rainfall was extremely lignt and where dry uortnwesiernes nave turther accentuated the delieieuey. Totals were iu excess iu tne west and about tne high country or the Souln island. In tne north tne distribution was erratic, but the surpluses were conlined cliielly to the \VatKuto, northern Taranaki, and the region ffoui ilawke’s flay to East Cape, severe thunderstorms over the northern portions of tne North Island interrupted power and teiephone services on the Ist. Noteworthy were the heavy rains iu the southern ranges, which culminated in serious flooding iu Westland on the 18th and again in Southland on the 28th, when several main roadways became impassable. Temperatures were a little < below normal, except in the dry area south of Christchurch, where several warm days resulted from north-westers. Tnroughout the month there were several moderate frosts, which checked and at some cases damaged tender vegetable crops. Most stations received tne average amount of sunshine or more. Auckland and Timaru had excesses of about 50 hours, but Napier had the highest total, corresponding to an average of eight hours daily throughout tne month. WEATHER SEQUENCE. For the first two days, as a cyclonic disturbance crossed over the North island, strong southerlies prevailed ; and considerable rain fell, but conditions improved with rising pressures in the south. On the 4th an old disturbance became more active in the north _ and caused strong south-easterly winds, with some rain in the far north. An anti-cyclone was over the North Tasman Sea and New Zealand on the 6th, but as a disturbance advanced over the country during the 7th to 9th north-westerly winds were-replaced by fresh southerlies, accompanied by snow on the ranges. Most districts received sohie precipitation during this period, ’very heavy falls being experienced in the East Cape region. From the 10th to 19th the westerly type of situation persisted, winds varying between north-west and south-west and fluctuating considerably in force. Remarkably little rain fell with the earlier disturbances in the series, but the weather became increasingly dull until the 16th and 17th, when very heavy rain fell in and! west of the Southern Alps, so that the West Coast rivers were in heavy flood, while the Canterbury rivers were running well above their normal level. At the same time there were a number of northwesterly or westerly gales, and central districts also experienced some of the heavy rain on the 18th. On the 20th an anti-cyclone extended over New Zealand from the west, and the weather was fine, though cooler] but under the influence of a depression from the South Tasman Sea conditions became unsettled in Westland during the 22nd. On the' two succeeding days further substantial rain occurred' in and west of the,Alps, 1 while north-westerly gales were blowing in many places from Taranaki and Wellington southward. There was little rain to the cast, but a southerly set in, bringing cold and showery conditions to most districts, and some snow to the high country. After a rapid but shortlived improvement the next disturbance arrived in the south on the 27th, and intensified, with the result that northwesterly winds attained strong gale force about central New Zealand and over the South Island. Further extensive rain occurred in western districts, with heavy falls in the high country of the South Island, as well as in parts of the Vorth Island. The downpour in the Southern Lakes district resulted in I amazing floods in Southland. From the _29th onward south-westerlies predominated, and fine weather prevailed as New Zealand became enveloped by an anti-cyclone.