AUGUST WEATHER

Grey River Argus, 8 September 1938, Page 12

AUGUST WEATHER

Meteorologist’s Review WET BUT MILD. WELLINGTON, September 7. The Dominion Meteorologist reviews the past month as follows: — August was a much better month than June or July. After the first ten days conditions were mild for winter, and some dry and sunny weather improved the outlook generally. > Unfortunately, at the end of the month there was some setback with a renewal of dull and wet weather. The condition of stock and pastures varies considerably from district to district, but, on the whole/it is less favourable than ‘usual. Though vegetation is showing signs of growth, it has not completely recovered from the cold and wet of the earlier months, and the season is somewhat backward. In most of Otago and Southland there is still a shortage of moisture. In other districts the soil is generally saturated .and farm work is being interfered with. This state of affairs is particularly marked in the Auckland province. The lambing ' season appears unlikely to be so good as lasi year’s. - Rainfall: Rainfall was much a.bove o j normal over the northern half of the North Island, numbers of places recording double the average or more. In the southern half of the North Island the average was exceeded only about Wellington. In the South Island it was a wet month in and west of the ranges, but dry in eastern districts, especially from Canterbury southwards. There' were places in Central Otago which had no rain at all.

Temperature: Cold weather continued from July over the first few days of August, hut after the 4th there was a warmer spell. Another cold snap followed, but from the 10th it was mild for the lime of year. The mean temperature for the month was everywhere above average, though the departures were generally quite small. Frosts were moderately frequent, but confined generally to the surface layers and there . was no really severe cold;- The amount of snow on the ranges decreased considerably. Sunshine: The amount of bright sunshine was above average in the extreme north and south, and considerably so, also, in Canterbury and Otago. ElSeWhere it was well below average. Nelson had 179.2 hours arid Alexandra 178.3. . . , Pressure Systems; At The beginning of the month a shallow depression was centred west of Auckland. This moved eastward, but was followed by a similar and rather deeper one on the 4th. These were responsible 'for winds from an easterly or south-easterly quarter arid dull, cold weather. There was widespread heavy rain over the North Island, and snow on the high levels. On the early morning of the 4th a light fall of snow was experienced at Rotorua. Some flooding occurred in the Auckland and Hawkes Bay proVinces. There followed a change in the type of weather. Previously, a long series of cyclonic depressions had formed off the west coast, producing conditions similar to those described above. Now, however, the anti-cyclonic centres began to take a more northerly path, and. the depressions which developed were of the westerly type. Of these, a deep bne passed on the 9th to 10th. It was accompanied by a severe northerly gale which did muclj, damage from Taranaki and Hawkes Bay southward t 0 Westland and Canterbury. Telephone, telegraph and power lines were interrupted, and trees and fences suffered considerably. Rain was general, with many heavy falls, especially ini western districts. From the 14th.to i 19th further westerly depressions i passed. One on the 18th developed a centre of low pressure over the Cook Strait area and was responsible for some hbavy rain. Wellington had .a torrential downpour with much hail. A very fine spell followed with anticyclonic conditions ruling over the Dominion. A series of depressions was, however, crossing the North Tasman Sea. These gradually became more intense and extended further southward. On the 27th the sky was generally overcast. Thick weather, with rain, spread gradually over the North Island, and easterly gales blew in the far north. By the 28th a rather deep depression was centred;

west of Auckland. There were widespread north-easterly gales, and rain became general. The depression moved southward, and changing into one of the westerly type covered the Dominion on the 29th. Westerly weather, with unsettled conditions and intermittent rain, continued until the end of the month. On the 17th a small tornado occurred at Opotiki, wrecking a house and doing other damage.