June an Average Month

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 160, 9 July 1938, Page 13

June an Average Month

NOTES ON THE WEATHER General: Except for the very hehvi rains experienced on the eastern sidi Of the South Island, Juno was a fajrl} average month. Temperatures wefe, on the whole, somewhat above and sunBliine was slightly below normal. About the usual number of frosts were recorded, but there was no severely cold weather. Tho sharp drop in temperature from the preceding month caused the growth of vegetation to be checked, but generally, there is abundance of feed for stock/ The latter, except for young _sheep which are reported in a number of districts not to be doing very well, are in good condition. Tho ground is soft, making work on farms rather difficult. Rainfall: In Taranaki tho rainfall was generally abovo average, but elsewhere over the North Island conditions varied and exeessos and doficits appear to be about oquallv divided. In the South Island, Westland and the Southern Alps, had less than the average. In Nelson, most of Marlborough and Southland, the totaJs were about normal. In southern Marlborough, Canterbury, and most of Otago, the month was extremely wet. Most places had double the average and many more than three times. At Timaru and Oam aru, which each had nearly four times the average, it was the wettest June on record.

Temperaturos were below normal in South Auckland and slightly below also in the coastal areas of Canterbury and Otago. At Auckland and Wellington they were about normal. Over the remainder of the country and for the Dominion as a whole the mean temperature was again above the average. Frosts were fairly numerous. From the 7th onward snow fell on tho mountains on several occasions and at the end of the monta they carried a moderate amount.

Sunshine: At most places the sunshine was mostly slightly below the previous average, but the reverse was tho case at Tauranga (which had 160.4 hours), Rotorua, Christchurch, Dunedin and Alexandra.

Pressure systems: The month began with the same typo of weather prevailing as hhd been experienced during April and May. On the 4tli a shallow cyclone formed south of Norfolk Island. The course followed on this occasion was, however, more easterly than on the earlier ones. The centre passed south of the Kcrmadee3 on tho 6tii and New Zealand was comparatively little affected. From tho Bth onwards tho weather adopted a different habit. From this timo until the end of the month, each depression as it approached from tch west tended to develop a low pressure centr off tho central portion of the west coast. This led to strong northerly winds from Westland northwards as tho depression neared the west coast; strong westerlies over the northern half of tho North Island and moderate southerlies over the South, while the centre Was crossing tho Dominion; finishing up with southerly gales as the system finally moved away. The first of the scries of storms of this kind passed on tho Sth to 9th. Tho next was much morn x weather u... ~ ... orly gales on tiie Utli brought the firs., really cold spell of tho winter. Snow fell on the high levels in both Islands and was heavy on the ranges. The gale was a severe one; some damage was done by it; air services were interrupted, and shipping was interfered with. There was widespread heavy rain with very heavy falls, and some flooding in Taranaki and South Canterbury and North Otago. Some severe thunder and hail storms, also, were reported. Another deep depression, on this occasion a double one, passed between the ISth and 23rd. There were some northerly gales, especially about Cook Strait on the ISth to 19th, very high velocities being recorded at Wellington. Southerly gales again blew on the 22nd and 23rd. Rain was general with many heavy falls, especially on the 22nd. Some local flooding and numbers of slips occurred near Wellington. SnOw fell on the Tanges. The last of the storms was experienced from the 28th to 30th and much the same wedtker cycle was gone through. Small tornadoes tver6 reported from three places during the month. Ono struck a portion of New Plymouth On the 10th; another wrecked a house near Opotiki on the 22nd; while the third was seen as a waterspout at sea off New Plymouth on tho 4th.