MARCH WEATHER

Northern Advocate, 7 April 1927, Page 8

MARCH WEATHER

TWO DISTINCT SECTIONS.

SUNSHINE, RAIN AND GALES,

WELLINGTON, This Day,

Mr D, C. Bates, Dominion Meteorologist, reports as follows on the weather of last month:—■

March is regarded as the first month of autumn in these latitudes, but the earlier half was decidedly summerlike; calm, warm and fair generally. The latter part of the month, however, was quite different in character: cold, unsettled and boisterous. The contrast between the two periods was verymarked, and an observer in Otago found the average temperature of the first, half 10 degrees higher than that of the latter.

The trough of one westerly "low" passed on the 16th and was soon succeeded by a more violent and extensive disturbance of a similar type. The lowest reading of the barometer 28.95 was recorded at 8 p.m. on the 20th at the Bluff, and this storm was apparently affiliated to the cyclonic disturbance centre which passed over the South Island, the lowest atmospheric pressure 28.65 being observed at Christchurch at 7 p.m. on the 23rd. These storms will be remembered by being associated with the close of the Royal visit. Although popularly described and recognised as "Equinoctial," and not without some justification, for there have been in past years several notable storms about the time of the Equinox, the greatest one, in 1918, causing the Raetihi bush fires. There is no apparent scientific reason for associationg these disturbances wdth the solar crossing of the Equator, and their occurrence must still be regarded as fortuitous. The 28th witnessed the passage of a trough of another westerly, or Antarctic "Low," after which the barometer rose steadily, with strong southerly winds bringing a cold snap. At the dose of the month there were some slight frosts and snow was left rather low down on the southern mountains. With the exception of the East Coasts of both Islands, the rainfall was generally much above the average. It was, indeed, excessive on the higher levels and southernmost parts of the iSouth Island:— The total for the month a.t Arthur's Pass was 36.42 inches, of which 10.35 fell on the 23rd, and of this 8.52 inches was registered in nine hours. Floods were reported in the Waimakariri and other rivers on this account, and there was also a big flood in Marlborough at this time. Westerly ga»cs w r ere troublesome to orchardists, for apples in particular that had not quite matured. The heat and dryness of the summer, however, left a warm soil cn which the rains produced a profuse and wonderful growth of autumn pasturage. —Press Assn.