HEAVY RAINFALL RECORDED IN THE DISTRICT IN MAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22656, 5 June 1948, Page 8

HEAVY RAINFALL RECORDED IN THE DISTRICT IN MAY

Phenomenal rainfall, which in several cases constituted near records, was recorded in the Gis borne and Past Coast districts last month.

This heavy rainfall led to severe flooding about the middle of the month in all districts with the exception 01. East Cap? and Hicks Bay, where heavy rain about May 22 brought on flooding. At Pakihiroa station near Mt. Ilikurangi 33.18 in. of rain fell, this being the heaviest in the district. The 2l.Otiin. of rain at Motu was a record lor that area, causing the Motu River to reach a record high level. Although last month's rainfall was so heavy, the total rainfall for the first live months of this year in many cases only slightly exceeds the total falls for the, corresponding period in I!M7. This is because the first three months of this year were particularly dry.

With only lO.Sfiin. of rain for May, Rukuhanga station, Cape Runaway, recorded the least amount of any station on the East Coast or in the Gisborne district. Rain fell on 20 days last month, the heaviest 24-hour fall being l.Ttiin. on May 21. In May last year 2.54 in. fell on 14 days. During the fivemonths ,of this year 26.58 in. of rain has fallen. Din. more than in the same period last year. There was thunder and lightning in tlie vicinity of the station on May 12. 13, 14, 18 and_2l, while an earthquake was felt at 5.30 am. on May 25. Two slight frosts were recorded during the month. Twice Last Year’s Fall

For the five months of this year nearly twice the rain has tallcn at Matarau station, Hicks Bay, than was recorded in the corresponding period last year. To date 40.01 in. has been gauged, compared with 21.11 in. last year. Last month's 15.82 in. of rain on 19 days added substantially to the total, there being only G.ssin. on 12 days in May last year. The heaviest 24-hour fall last month was 2.90 in. on May 21. Pakihiroa station, at the foot of Mt. Hikurangi, experienced particularly heavy rain hist month, 33. 18in. falling in 19 days. In May, 1947, lO.llin. tell on 12 days The heaviest 24-hour fall last month was 7.90 in. on May 13. Already this year 56.36 in. of rain has fallen at Pakihiroa. 1 Sin. more than for the January-May period last year.

Almost continuous thunder and lightning with intermittent hail showers were experienced at Taoroa station, Ruatoria, on May 13 and 14. The heaviest 24hour fall, 4.90 in., was experienced on May 13. Rain fell on 18 days last month to give a total of 15.82 in., compared with 6.85 in. on 11 days in May, 1947. To date this year 34.05 in. of rain has fallen, only slightly more than last yea r. A record for May was established at Ruangarehu station, near Tokomaru Bay, 19.49 in. of rain falling last month. The previous highest May rainfall was 19.37 in. in 1924. In May last year B.Uin. of rain fell at the station. The heaviest 24-hour fall last month was (i.l4in. on May 13, there being in all 18 wet days. Although last month's fall was so heavy, the total for the year to date is only 35 89in., compared .with 38.57 in. for the corresponding period last year. 9.55 in. in Three Days Although 18.GGin. of rain fell at Maungaorangi station, near Whangara, last month, compared with 7.47 in. in May, 1947, the total for the year to dale is only 40.19 in., 7in. less than for the first five months of last year. There were 17 wet days last month, the heaviest 24-hour fall being 7.35 in. on May 13. Over half of the 14.89 in. of rain rc corded at Turihau station last month fell in three days, the total for May 13, 14 and 15 being B.G3in. The heaviest rainfall was on May 14, when 4.93 in. was recorded, with 2.48 in. on May 13, and 1.22 in on May 15. There were lb wet days last month. The total for the year to date is 29.34 in. Since rainfall records were first taken at Motu 28 years ago, no month's fall has exceeded the 24.06 in. recorded in May. During the three days about the middle of the month, when 9.55 in. of rain fell, the Motu River reached the highest level known since the district was first settled. The G.39in. of rain recorded on May 13 is the third highest 24-hour fall in the past 28 years. On June 24, 1925, 7.Gsin. fell, and on May 22 in the same year 7.18 in. The total rainfall for the year to date is 46'.70in., almost exactly double that recorded during May, 1947. With G.7oin. of rain on one day. May 13, Matawai's rainfall for the month was particularly high, 18.23 in being gauged, compared with 7.stin in May, 1947. There were 18 wet days last month. To date this year 37.10 in. of rain has fallen at Matawai, over 11 in more than in the first five months of last year.

The 17.2 Gin. of rain at Te Karaka lasi month was just short of the record month’s rainfall for the district, this being 17.G9in. noted in March, 1944, when there was a big flood at the beginning of the month and smaller ojie in the' last week of the same 'month. The total for the past five months is MO.Olin. On May 14, S.Olin. of rain fell. I his being preceded by 2.19 in. on May 13 and followed by 1.53 in. on May 15. The falls recorded for 48 hours during the last six big floods were: 1914. May 17 and 18. O.G2in.: 1919, May 11 and 12, 1i.23in.; 1918, March 3 and 4, G.Boin.; 1932, February 12 and 13, 3.32 in.; 1944, March 5 and 6,7.12 in.; 1948, May 12 and 13, 10.29 in. Third Highest Waingake Total More than half of this year's total rainfall recorded at Eastwoodhill station. Ngatapa, fell last month. For the year to date the total is 2G.99in., 14.70 in. having been recorded during May. The heaviest 24-hour fall was 5.85 in. on May 13. In May last year 4.73 in. fell on 12 days to bring the total for the five months to 21.83 in. Last month’s rainfall of 20.48 in. on 18 days recorded at Waingake was the third highest since records were first commenced. In May, 1919. 23.30 in. of rain fell, while in June, 1917, the reading was 23.29 in. The heaviest 24-hour fall last month was 7.35 in. on May 13. the Waingake Stream reaching its highest level at about 9 a.in. on May 14. The rainfall of 33.39 in. for the five months of this year is only slight ly more than for the corresponding period in 1947. Last month's fall of 25.37 in. at Parikanapa station was a record for any month since a gauge was installed in 1937. Rain fell on 21 days last month, compared with 7.51 in. on 14 days in May, 1947. The heaviest 24-hour fall last month was G.34in. on May 13. To date this year 43.99 in. of rain has been recorded, compared with 32.49 in. up to May 31 last year.

Mutton-Birders Return After more than two months away from port, 140 mutton-birders have returned to the Bluff with most of the catch, estimated at about 250,000 birds. Mai! Mystery Solved A minor mystery surrounding the disappearance of letters from residential boxes in the Takaro suburb of Palmerston North has been solved. A householder caught' a starling in the act of removing his morning mail. The bird had extracted one letter from the box and had pullc-d a second envelope half-way out.