THE MARCH CYCLONE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 114, 18 May 1918, Page 4

THE MARCH CYCLONE

THE SEVEREST KNOWN

In the New Zealand Gazette of-May 2nd, the Government Meteorologist, iMr B C. Bates, summarises the weather for March as follows: ... . , The outstanding meteorological lea? i ture of March Was the intense Cyclone i which was responsible fot; jery conditions between tho 18th and <o»n. Of tropical origin, the centre apparently passed down from westward of Norfolk Island, and on the morning of the 19th was located off 'Farewell Spit. On the 20th.it had passed to the south-east of the Dominion! ■ ■- t -■- '.. The worst effects • were experience ■generally" on 1 the 19th, but stoMrty. £on- . ditibns also tn'evailed in the nortneYn districts on the 18th. and in the south- • ern districts on tho 20th. \, During the height of the storm on thw t 19th the heavy 5 northerly gales cause.d bush fires to sweeb over the district) about Raotihi, resulting in most serious looses to the settlers. % The rainfall accompanying the storm was generally • not ns much as might have been expected, but the southernmost districts on the 20th, experienced' some heavy precipitation, which caused floods in many of . the Our observer at Now Plymouth. Mr W. W.. Smith, referring to tho Btorm, savs: "After inauiries among tho oldest settlers in New "Plymouth, thero can bo no doubt thai, the cvclonic storm on tho 19th and 201 li was the severest known, alike to Europeans and Maoris* in their lifetime." . , Manv observers in .different .parts flt New Zealand! also M'rL. IT. .st,oeh 4h« observer at .Chatham Islands, express a similar opinion. Two other disturbances were in evidence during the month, both passing, in the north—one which' rulod between the 3rd and 9th. and the other from the 29th to the end of the month. Some heavy rains we're reported about these two periods, the east coast districts of the North I* s ]*™', and the former disturbance acounted for nersistent southeast .gftles and very heavy seas between Cape Campbell and East' Cape. Between tho Bth and 1&\ and 21st' and 27th, anti-cyclonic, conditions ruled, and fair weather was experienced generally. . ± ;., Except in Westland, . and at a. few scattered olaces elsewhere, the total rainfall for the month was well abuvo the average.