OCTOBER WEATHER

Grey River Argus, 10 November 1936, Page 3

OCTOBER WEATHER

(Per Press Assocation.) WELLINGTON, November 8. The Dominion meteorolgist states. The first ten or eleven days of October were very windy and rather cool but otherwise -the month was -a very mild one. Except in parts of the Wairarapa ami southern Hawke’s Bay there has been « vigorous growth of v-egeta'tion and there is ample teed foT stock, which nre reported to be in verv good condition. Ihe milk yield improved rapidly and is now high. The lambing season appecirs to have been a good one with relatively few losses owing to adverse weather. As regurds fattening, the condition of ktmbs at the end -of the month, [hough on the whole good, was somewhat variable. In some places the grass was still rather soft. In this respect however, conditions should soon improve. Crops have made good, growth, hut the wet condition of the soil has reduced the sowing of spring wheial 111 Canterbury. Rainfall.—The rainfall exceeded the average over most of the West Coast of Hie South Island and the Nelson and Marlborough provinces, hut elsewhere it wms below. Large parts of the North Island and also of Canterbury had only half the normal fall. Temperatures were everywhere above normal. In eastern districts and the interior the departures were- generally somewhat over 2 degrees and elswhere mainly between 1 degree and 1.5 degrees, The lowest was til Hokitika, where the mecm was only 0.5 degrees normal. The relatively low value there was due fo the frequent rains and its exposure to the westerly and south-westerly winus. Frosts were infrequent and not, in general, severe. A rather sharp one occurred, however, on the morning of the 15th. In the Hasting district, tollowing immediately on a cold rain with snow on. the high levels, it. caused serious damage to fruit and tomato crops. A few days later, considerable damlage was done in orchards in parts of Central Otago. Thee were several very warm da vs.

Sunshine. —The dural ion of bright sunshine was generally beloiv average and especially so in western districts fi'omj Taranaki southwards. A lew places in the interior and -the southern parts of the South Island had more than usual. Lake Tekapo recorded 227.6 hours Blenheim 2-18.1, and Napier 213.0 hours.

Pressure systems. —During the first eleven days a series of vigorous westerly depressions crossed the Dominion and northwesterly or westerly gales were blowing in some part or other almost throughout. The gale -of the night of the Sth to the morning of the 9th, was particularly severe, and some damage was done, especially in Wel--I'ngton, Westland and Canterbury Provinces. The gale was accompanied by general rains which were very heavy on the West Coast and in the high country of the South Island, Floods occurred on the West Coast, that at Greymouth being reported as the highest for 22 years. The Waimakariri River, also, was in high flood, the highest level exceeding anything duriimg the preceding 60< years. Many severe thunderstorm were experienced during the Sth and 9th. (5n the 11th to the 12th the weather changed, the winds (turning to southerlies, whicn were strong about Cook Strait. Snow fell on the ranges and in the hign levels of the South Island. Southwesterly (weather predominated until the 16th. gales being recorded at times in many places. On the 14th there was again snow on the ranges, and on the .following morning severe frosts were experienced in the central part of the North Island. From' the 19th to 27th, the pressure systems were much more slowly-moving and irregular m form. They culminated in a rather shallow cyclone which crossed North Auckland on the 25th. Useful rains fell, especially in the northern half of the North Island. Temperatures were unusually warm for the time of year. During the last three days the wes.erly type of weather again became established. The persistent westerlies were responsible for frequent rams throughout the month in western districts of the South Island, but to the northward the amounts fell off rapidly and eastern districts were, of course, to a large extent shielded from the rains.