GISBORNE SUNSHINE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20140, 9 January 1940, Page 6

GISBORNE SUNSHINE

DECEMBER'S 271 HOURS BEST MONTH OUT OF 22 GOOD TOTAL FOR YEAR Last month was the sunniest to be experienced in Gisborne since January, 1938, there being 271.9 hours of sunshine recorded at the meteorological station at the Darton Field aerodrome. Although there were seven wet days during the month, there was not a day <Sn which the sun failed to make its appearance. Up to the end of November the Gisborne sunshine figures were in arrears compared with the total for the corresponding 11 months of the previous year. Longer hours of sunshine in December made up the difference and gave the district a lead of 6.4 hours on the totals for the two years.

The brightest day last month was December 6. when there were 13.5 hours of sunshine, but on December 11 the sun penetrated the clouds for only 1.3 hours. The daily average sunshine was 8.7 hours for December last, the average for December, 1938, being 8.1 hours. The comparative sunshine returns for 1938 and 1939 are as follows; —

Last month was generally cooler than the previous December, although the maximum temperature was greater, 82 degrees, compared with 78.8 degrees. In December, 1938, there were 12 days on which the temperature exceeded 75 degrees and 12 days on which the minimum was less than 50 degrees. Last month there were 11 days when the temperature was over 75 degrees, including two days when it exceeded 80 degrees. However, in the 23 days on which the minimum temperature was available there were 10 days during which the glass fell under the 50-degree mark. Earth temperatures were also warmer last month than for the same period the previous year.

1938 1939 Hours Hours January 280.9 252.5 February .... 155.7 229.0 March 216.2 195.5 April 113,6 143.8 May 135.2 133.5 June 128.9 106.4 July 98.1 118.7 August 145.9 161.7 September ... 183.6 189.5 October 261.4 17G.9 November . .. 182.6 181.9 December ... 252.8 271.9 Totals 2154.9 2161.3