THE WEATHER

Hokitika Guardian, 9 August 1938, Page 2

THE WEATHER

MONTH OF JULY. WELLINGTON, August 5. General: July was a dull, wet and cold month. The ground is thoroughly saturated in almost all districts. Growth of vegetation is at a standstill and farm work held up. Stock are reported to be in fair to good condition, but -they must have suffered considerably during the last few days, and dry, sihiny weather is badly needed. Thunderstorms were rather frequent and severe. Though there was no heavy floods, a goodi'deal of minor Hooding occurred. Snow was more frequent and more .persistent than usual. Rainfall: In the North Island the' rain was much above average in the Auckland and Hawke’s Bay provinces, more than double, the normal being recorded at many places. Elsewhere, though rain was frequent, the totals were below average. In the SouthIsland, it was a very wet month in Canterbury and Southern Marlborough. In eastern Otago and Southland conditions were rather variable, and the departures from average generally small. Elswhere the falls ; Were below 1 normal, and Central Otago and the West Coast had a dry month. Sunshine: The amount of bright sunshine recorded was considerably below average in eastern districts and tiie high country, but not always so elsewhere. Hokitika, for example, with T 40.1 hours, had more than usual. Nelson had 147.9 hours. " ' Pressure, systems: During the first five days of the month, a series of westerly, depression was passing. On the 2nd to' the '3rd, conditions were particularly boisterous on the west coast of the North Island, with westerly gales. Many places also had severe thunderstorms. Rain was practically general during this period, except on the east coast of the North Island, and many heavy falls were recorded. Snow fell on the high levels, and there

was hail in many places. In South Canterbury there was local flooding. There were some remarkably high tides in eastern and northern dis- j tricts during this period, also. A line I spell followed, but from the 10th to I4th the weather was again very unsettled. A deep depression developed off the west coast and crossed the Auckland Province. On the 13th there was a very boisterous and widespread south-easterly gale, which caused minor damage in many places. Again, _ there were numbers of severe hail and

thunderstorms and snow on the ranges. In the South Island there was snow on the Canterbury Plains and in Central Otago. Rain was general and in the .North Island there was minor flooding, espiciall'y ■ in Auckland and Hawke’s Bay, From this time onwards there was a succession of depressions which developed off the west coast, and crossed the northern portion of the North Island, These led to a persistence of southerly or south-easterly winds, which were frequently strong, especially in the middle portions of the Dominion, There was widespread and heavy rain from one of these depressions between the 18th and 20th, culminating •in a south-easterly gale on the 21st. Some flooding occurred about Auckland in, Hawke’s} Bay. The next of the series of depressions was a deep and extensive one, which passed during the 26th to 27th. Rain was

again genera], with many heavy falls. Flooding occurred for the third time in Auckland and in Hawke’s Bay. Thunderstorms were once 'more frequent in the North. They were responsible for torrential downpours in Auckland and Te Aroha on the 26th. Near the latter place several cows were killed by lightning. Finally, from 29th to 31st. while another depression was passing, unusually cold weather occurred, with boisterous southerly or south-easterly winds, llain was again general, while snow fell in many parts of the South Island, and to unusually low levels in the North.