WEATHER IN MAY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 11 June 1945, Page 4

WEATHER IN MAY

SOME HEAVY RAINFALLS The following notes on the weather for May, 1945, have been supplied by the Director of Meteorological Services: General. —May was a cold dull month with frequent rain. Conditions liave been rather hard on stock and some feeding, out was started in most districts. The ground is very wet and waterlogged and outdoor farm activities have been hindered. * Rainfall.—May is usually a rather wet month for the North Island and totals this year were above the average, there being a few localised exceptions, chiefly near Whangarei, New Plymouth and Hastings. Between Clarence and Southland totals were all very excessive, often being twice to treble the average, tut near Port Hills and Little River they were over four times the average. On the other hand Westland was much drier usual and most of Nelson and Marlborough had deficiencies. Some of the more noteworthy rain-l'-lls which occasioned flooding may be mentioned. The 17th was very wet about the Bay of Plenty with numerous falls over 5 ’""'ics. At Wairata there was 6.11 inches followed by 2.06 on the 18th. fl> t M Little River on the 18th. 19th and 20th the falls were 5.34, 7.57 and 4.89 inches; these being th~ *~ajor contributions to the total of ** 151 which exceeded by 4 inches the total for May. record of any month during the 30 years of records. The Dunedin area received falls of about 3 inches on the 19th. Temperature.—Mean tempe: ttu: 's were about two degrees cooler than average. There were some sh*>ro frosts in nearly all districts. The final days were especially cold and considerable snow fell on the ranges. The 29th w'as a very bleak day. Sunshine: While sunshine totals were near normal in Auckland and Napier, , places it was a very dull month. The lack of sunshine was most noticeable in Taranaki, the Manawatu, Canterbury, Otago and Southland.