THE WEATHER

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 8, 7 December 1937, Page 2

THE WEATHER

MISTY RAIN. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Dec. 7. The barometers have risen in southern New Zealand but a shallow cyclone has been advancing towards northern New Zealand and its centre is located this morning between Norfolk Island and Cape Maria Van Diemen. Pressure i slow also over the central Tasman Sea. The forecast is for light to moderate east to north-east winds prevailing. The weather will be cloudy to overcast with scattered showers or misty rain. Temperatures mild to wirm. Seas slight to moderate.

.MOST FAVOURABLE,

MONTH OF NOVEMBER

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Dec. 7

In most Now Zealand districts November was a favourable spring month, although the first half was extremely dry and, following a lengthy spell of equally dry conditions, during this period there wn.s a shortage \of feed in many parts of the country and the general outlook for the farming community appeared to be very serious, writes Dr. E. Kidson, Director of Meteorological Services, in his notes for November. Between November 15 and Noveml>er 25, however, beneficial rains occurred at times over the greater portion of the Dominion and pastures and vegetation revived. In parts of South Canterbury, Otago and Marlborough the rainfall was not sufficient to relieve the situation, and in these areas feed for stock is still short and mpny crops have been seriously affected. The North Island, on the other hand with the exception of the Manawatu district, experienced favourab'e conditions, with the result that feed is now plentiful. On the whole stock are in good condition and the season lms been an excellent one for the fattening of lambs Over most of the northern half of the North Island the month s aggregate rainfall was above the average, the greatest departure being m North Auckland. The whole of the remamder of the Dominion experienced a deficit places in the extern and ,southern areas of the South Island having less than half the November average. TEMPERATURES FLUCTUATE. Temperatures were everywhere above normal, the departure averaging 2deg. F. in both islands. Some days were

very warm, but oil the other hand there were several nights when frosts were severe enough to cause dariiage to fruit trees and vegetables, more especially at inland places in the South Island.

The amount of bright sunshine recorded nearly everywhere exceeded the average, the only reporting stations having a deficiency being Nelson and Waimate. Blenheim had 259.7 and Napier 251,8 hours. During the first week the weather was fine almost generally under the influence of a rather intense anticyclone, the centre of which moved to the east of the North Island on November 8. By November 9 a shallow depression had advanced on to the Dominion and fairly general, though mostly light, rains occurred during the night. Rain also fell over most of the North Island between November 11 and November 14, associated with a cyclonic depression which crossed northern New Zealand on the lattei day- Up to this time rainfall had not been widespread, and the South Island especially had continued to experience dry conditions. BENEFICIAL RAINS. By November 16, however, an extensive westerly depression had moved on to New Zealand and general beneficial rains accompanied it about this time A series of similar depressions continued to cross the Dominion until November 19, and strong and squally winds between north-west and southwest prevailed, with changeable conditions and rain at times in most parts of the country. Thunderstorms were also frequent during this period, particularly severe ones occurring on November 17 >in the Waikato disti'iet and on November 19 in parts of Taranaki and Wellington provinces. The final storm system of the month was a combination of a cyclone in the north and a westerly depression in the south, both of which crossed the Dominion during the night of November 24. This disturbance, deepened considerably in passing to the east and consequently, during the night of November 24 and November 25, strong southerly winds to gales prevailed, accompanied by lieavv showers and, in places, thunder and hail. Particularly heavy rains occurred in the Auckland province, and a severe thunderstorm was experienced in parts of the Gisborne district. This was the only really cold snap during the month, and fortunately it was of brief duration. On November 26 anticyclonic conditions with fine weather set in ancf continued to the fclose of the month. RIVER GAUGE. Noon. —lft. 9in.