METEOROLOGICAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 December 1933, Page 8

METEOROLOGICAL

PHASES OF THE MOON. DECEMBER, 1933.

THE SUN. Th© sun sets to-day. at 8.6 p.m.; rises to-morrow at 4,38 a.m. WEATHER REPORT. Wind, east; barometer, 30.26; thermometer, 65; tides, poor'; bar Slight swell; river, normal; sky blue and cloudy. AT OTHER CENTRES.

WEATHER FORECAST. General inference: The anti-cyclone over New Zealand has intensified still further, but is moving gradually eastwards. A depression is advancing across the Tasman Sea and should be affecting the Dominion’s weather. Forecast: Freshening northeast to north winds, weather warm, dull and misty, with rain in places. Seas moderate. NOVEMBER WEATHER.

The Dominion Meteorologist supplies the following notes on the weather for November:— _ General: From the meteorological point of view November was a quiet month. Southerly or south-easterly winds were unusually prevalent and were responsible for temperatures being rather on the cold side. There was a better distribution of rainfall than in October but Nelson and Marlborough again experienced a serious shortage, and are suffering drought conditions. Elsewhere, though supplies are not so abundant in the Waikato and Taranaki districts as last year, there is generally an abundance of pasture. Stocks are in good condition; milk yields are above normal; and in most districts lambs are fattening well. The heavy rains in Canterbury in the early part of the month saved the situation, particularly as regards wheat crops. On the whole, however, crops do not seem to be doing quite so well as last year. The late frosts of the 22nd and 23rd caused serious losses of potatoes, tomatoes, spring vegetables and small fruits.

Rainfall: Rainfall was above average north of Auckland, in the Bay of Plenty, and eastern districts of the North Island, and in most of Canterbury and Otago. In the Waikato, Taranaki, the Manawatu, the Wairarapa, Westland, Southland, and particularly Nelson and Marlborough, it was considerably below average. There was an absence of warm northwesterly rains. Temperatures: Temperatures were above normal from Auckland northwards and west of the ranges in the North Island, but east of the main range they were below. The Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay areas had very

cold weather for the time, of ‘ year. In the South Island, Central Otago had a warm month, but the remainder a cold one. The frosts of the 22nd and 23rd were unusually severe for so late in the season. In South Canterbury and Otago that of the 22nd was the more severe but thence northwards, in North Canterbury, . Rfarlbo'rough, Wellington, and Hawke’s Bay, it was on the 23rd that the damage was done. ... ’ ...

Sunshine: There was less sunshine than usual over the greater part of the North Island, and especially the east coast, owing to the dull weather brought by the persistent southerly and southeasterly winds. From Wellington southwards, however, the normal was exceeded at most places by large amounts. Lake Tekapo recorded 285.5, Nelson 271.0, and Blenheim 2’4.0 hours.

Full Moon 2nd. 1.31 p.m. Last Quarter 10th. 0.18 a.m. New Moon 17th. 2.23 p.m. First Quarter 24th. 7.39 a.m.

(From readings taken at 9 a.m.) Manukau Heads N. blue sky 30.25 4 1 Cape Egmont V blue sky 30.27 68 Wanganui S. cloudy 30.26. 72 Wellington N.W. cloudy 30.19 65 Cape Campbell N. blue sky 30.18 62 Farewell Spit N.E. overcast 30.19 66 Westport N.E. overcast 30.20 66 Arthur’s Pass j N.W. overcast -• ■ — 62 Christchurch E. cloudy 30.11 62 Dunedin N. cloudy 30.00 60 Ptivsecur Point N.W. blue sky 30.07 70 Bluff N.N.W. overcast 30.01 66