METEOROLOGICAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 May 1931, Page 8

METEOROLOGICAL

MAY, 1931. PHASES OF THE MOON.

THE SUN.

The sun sets to-day at 4.E»6 P-hu; rises to-morrow at 6.57 a.m. WEATHER~REPORT. Wind, east; barometer,' 30.07; thermometer, 42; tides, moderate, slight swell. River normal. ” at othelFcentres. Manukau Heads .... Overcast 58 Wanganui"-' Blue sky 53 Wellington Cloudy 49" Farewell Spit .... Blue sky & Westport Blue sky 48 Arthur’s Pass Not received Christchurch .... Overcast 47? Dunedin Blue sky 4$ Ruysegur Point .. Overcast 4.8 Bluff Overcast 47 * 7 . WEATHER FORECAST. “Tho indications are for variable and moderate breezes, with ' moderafe south easterlies prevailing. There is a prospect of fair weather. The night will probably be very cold, with frosts inland. The barometer has a rising tendency. Seas moderate and tideft poor.” ‘ -

LAST MONTH’S STORMS. DR. KIDSON’S REVIEW. WELLINGTON, May 6. Dr. Kidson, Director of Meteorological Services, in his notes on the weather for April, says:—Though the weather for the greater part of April was fine and mild, with an absence of strong winds, there were, three stormy I periods, and a fourth commencing ai; the end of the month. Two of the storms were of unusual severity. The temperatures were again below normal in the North Island. The departures were mainly slight, • blit in the South Island they were considerable. Over the greater part of the North Island the rainfall was considerably above normal, but deficiencies occurred in the extreme north. In the South Island, Golden Bay, and Marlborough and the extreme northern patr of Canterbury had considerably above the average, but over the remainder low rainfalls were experienced.

The first of the storms referred to, occurred on the 2nd and 3rd, about Cook Strait. The most severe northerly gale for many\ years was recorded. The rain was practically general, but in the Tararua Mountains and where the ranges of Northern Nelson and Marlborough faced the wind directly, the falls were of unprecedented magnitude. Unfortunately, the total fall A was registered at few stations, owing to the gauges overflowing, ox* being washed away. Some of tlie total registrations for the 2nd and 3rd were:—Over 8.75 J inches at Collingwood, over 24.05; inches at Blenheim; 16.84'inches at Karamea, 10.21 inches at Millerton,', 15.15 inches at Tiroroa, 11.1 inches at! Otira, and 13.55 inches at Yndyca Bay,' in the Marlborouh Sounds. The second stormy period between the 7th and the 11th. Many heavy rainfalls were recorded in the; North Island. in the far north the! gales were from the west, but in the! central and southern portions of the: Dominion they were southerly. On thei IStli another depression, moved into ! the Dominion, and a cyclone centre was I located in its northern portion. It passed between Cape Maria Van Diemen and Norfolk Island on the 19 th. It was responsible for some very heavy rains especially in the northern and western districts of the North Island.

Full moon 2nd 4,44 Last quarter 10th 0.18 a.m. New moon 18th 2.58 a.m. First quarter 25'th 7.9 a.m.