DECEMBER WEATHER

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2339, 8 January 1926, Page 6

DECEMBER WEATHER

EXTREME OF - WET AND |dR3T. [Per Press Association.] I ■WELLINGTON. Last Nlfcht Mr Bates's weather summaji fo» the month of December Bates: Warm, dry and windy weathJF was experienced during the month iw most parts of the Dominion, but thll contrast between the East Coast Bf the North Island and the West cAat of the South Island was most nßfked. The former had hardly any iKnfall and suffered from drought, v while the latter had much more Uian Its large average, on account of,’deluges from two severe westerly storms, which particularly affected Westland and the Southern Alps. The snow melted on the mountains y from the combined effect of wartn rain and fresh wind, and on the East Coast of the South Island the livers were flooded by them, without any local rainfall. The first flood came from heavy rains, which set in on the evening of December Srd, and con. tlnued on the. 4th, the totals for the two days being 3.68 inches at Greymouth, 4.66 inches at Ross, xe.i:* Inches at Otira, and 10.8 Inches v. Arthur’s Pass. For three day;* (December 9th, 10th and 11th) tl.'a sums of the falls were 3.98 laches at Greymouth, 5.48 inches at Ross, 14.20 inches at Otira and 11.88 inches at Arthur’s Pass. The rainfall was excessive along the high country frota Tophouse to Queenstown, but deficient on the east side of the ranges. The vegetation of these regions shows a very pronounced and permanent demarcation, which is brought Into notice by these two westerly storms. There were other westerly disturbances during the month, and qnly one ex-tropical disturbance, which passed too far north to benefit Hawke’s Bay. A thunderstorm there, however, oa Now Tear’s eve, brought some tern, porary relief from the long spell of drought. )