THE WEATHER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5337, 24 December 1878, Page 2

THE WEATHER.

Barometer road twice daily, at 9.30 p.m. and at 9.00a.m.; also occasionally in times of atmospheric disturbance. All dates refer to 10 a.m., and obserraHons are those of the previous 24 hours. (’) At 930 p.m. (14th). (t) At 9.30 a.m. Hot and day, mostly with very hot sun during -he day; nights much cooler. Wind fresh and cool, and at time shigh. As in last week, little variation of temperac®; ® l “ . da y or in night readings, these 0 21st being suddenly lower than any others noted during the entire week. If these io°n. rde A J ll9 next lowest would be those of the 19th 70"4 and 56.1, —and the averages in such case would have been raised a full degree. Ino average range between day and night has been about 18 degrees, with heavy night dews, liie approximate mean is very considerably in advance of tho ordinary temperature of tho season, and nearly, although not quite so far in excess of the corresponding week of last year as was that recorded in our last week’s- report. Solar radiation higher than in last week; averwith.an extreme of 137*5 on the >*• Terrestrial radiation same as in last W tl’ ° 2 ’?* Wlth a m iuimum of 44‘ on the 21st. There has been no rain recorded during tho week; and, as the whole of the amount registered last week fell on the Saturday afternoon, there is a continuous sequence of 13 days without rain. The average humidity has receded four degrees from the previous week, and ten degrees from that preceding it, being now lower than iu any week of the current year since that ending January 19, The average of cloud is also small.

Tho wind was light at the commencement of the week, but rose rapidly towards the end of it; the amount above given for a maximum, on the 20th, is only one mile in excess of tho reading of the following day; so that 22 miles was tho average velocity during the 48 hours, though at times considerably exceeding this amount, as at 10 a.m. of the 20th, the anemometer gave a rate 0f34 miles. During the night of Friday it dropped almost to an entire calm, and at 10 a.m. of the 21st, a rate of only 41, miles was observed. The prevalent direction has been steadily westerly: from N.W. to S.W., and back to NAV. A continuous steady fall of the barometer, from the evening of Saturday (14th) io the morning of tho 18th seemed to indicate an approaching change of weather, but this appearpassed of, and an equally steady, but rather slower rise has followed it. The unusual elevation of tho mercury above its usual summer level still continues; though not to quite so marked a degree as in some previous weeks. Average for the month of December, 186477Barometer (corrected), 29.937 ; approximate mean temperature, 64.4 ; rainfall (proportionate part), 0.813.

ELffIN B. Dioxbon, Government Observer.

No. 50. Abstract of observations for week ending Dec. 21. Average Max. Min. Average same week. 77 Bare. (co; reeled) 30’007 Dec 15* 30'100 Pec. 18+ 29 83 19’919 Temperature (day) 76’7 Dec. 17, SJ 9 Dec. 21, 71'5 75'2 ,, (night) 53'6 Dec. 17, 61'9 Dec. 21, 52'3 „ (mean) 67 6 658 m Dew Point Humidity (s 0-100) 50’7 __ 551 OS- 09 76-77,19 62, 20ih 68-09 Wind (Telocity) 343’4 m. Dec. 20. 529S.W. Dec. Id, 1503. W." Cloud (scale 0-10; 3'5 4'7 Total rainfall .. — — — ’51 in. No. of days’ rain.. — — — 3