METEOROLOGICAL

Hokitika Guardian, 9 July 1934, Page 6

METEOROLOGICAL

WEATHER FOR JUNE. The Dominion meteorologist reports : General. —June was, on the whole rattier cold, with less sunshine than usual. Until the lust -few days there was comparatively little wind so that Che low temperatures did not produce harmful effects. Regarding total ramfail, conditions varied considerably m dilferent districts, but generally it was 1 rather humid. Cold and wet combined hindered ploughing and cultivation and in that respect matters are in a backward condition. In Canterbury, farmers have, in many eases, not been able to make their sowings of wheat or oats. It is not yet -possible to estimate the effects of the spell of severe weather with widespread snowfalls which commenced at the end of the month and extended into July but previous to that, there had been a certain amount of growth in pastures and stock were in satisfactory condition. Marlborough had good rains and,, at the same time, escaped the snow. Both there and in Nelson, conditions have improved.

Rainfall.—Owing’ chiefly to the heavy rains from the 18th to the 20th. practically the whole of the Auckland province except the Poverty Bay and East Cape areas had oonsidenably above the average rainfall for June. The same was the case in Nelson, Marlborough, .and Southern Wellington. Over the east coast districts of the North Island, in southern Taranaki and northern Wellington,.the total foil short of the average. In the parts of the South Island not mentioned, the distribution was irregular with totals below the average predominating. Generally, the number of rain days was high,, so that even, where the total rain was low the month was effectively a wet one. The storm from June 18 to June 20 was responsible for many very heavy rains from Nelson and Marlborough northwards. Russell recorded 5.10 inches on June 18, and seven inches in the whole period.; Waihi had 1 a total'of 11.30 inches with 6.73 makes on June 18; -and Motueka 4.29 inches and B-ainham (Golden Bay) 7.26 inches on June 18. In North Auckland very severe Hooding occurred and much damage was done. Floods were experienced, also, in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato districts, and, in Nelson, on the Waimea Plains and in the Motueka -and Golden Bay areas.

Temperatures were for the most part slightly below normal, but the departpures were important! only in eastern districts and parts of the interior. At many places in western districts the normal was just- exceeded. Owing to the still weather, many hard frosts were recorded; In the cold and boisterous weather at the end of fcue-inontfl there were heavy snowfalls on all the ranges and even on much of the plain country of the South Island and the central plateau of the North. There were snowfalls on the Canterbury Plains also on June 9.

Sunshine was everywhere considerably below normal. The. .best totals were recorded at Taurang-a, 149:6hours, and New Plymouth,' 136.7 hours.

Pressure and Weather Systems.— During the greater part of the month such storms as occurred wer e rather complicated in structure but not veij vigorous. They consisted of irregular troughs of low pressure running in a north ami south direction, theie being a tendency for the lowest pressure to occur over the northern extremity of the Dominion. The first of these depressions passed on June ‘2 and was .responsible for widespread rain's with heavy falls. On June 18, an anticyclone which had passed' over New Zealand became very intense' to the east, the barometer at Chatham Islands reading 30.58 inches at 9 a.m. At the same time, an equally intense anticyclone had formed over eastern Australia, Hobart reporting -a low pressure. of 30.65 inches. Between the two was a. trough of relatively low pressure. Though this was only shallow, the conditions favoured its remaining stationary -and deepening in its northern portion. This is what actually happened. A centre of I°"’ pressure -formed westward of Cape Maria va„ Diemen and gradually deepened. Nort/i-easterly gales, arose in the far north and prevailed in some parts of the North Island until June 20. Very heavy rains fell in the North and hv June 20, the area of precipitation had covered practically the whole of the Dominion. Thereafter, the storm gradually died out. On June 27, a much deeper trough of low piessiwo than had been experienced for a considerable time, began to approach the Dominion from the Tasman Sen. On that day strong northerly winds blew, and western districts oi the South Island had. heavy rain. On June 28, the depression crossed the country and a southerly change advanced ovei the South Island. -At this time pressure had become very high at Hobart so that the invasion of cold air from the south was very vigorous. Snow commenced in the south th-at day ..-and hailstorms also, were numerous. These conditions of southerly gales and intermittent heavy rains with widespread snow and hailstorms, continued into July. Thunderstorms also occurred in many places. For a week on end pressure remained low to the south, and east of New Zealand 1 , and high over Tasmania. On Janie 25. a small , tornado occurred near Opotiki. |