VERY DRY YEAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15729, 2 October 1914, Page 7

VERY DRY YEAR.

LOW RAINFALL MAINTAINED. FIGURES FOR SEPTEMBER. Wans, the month of August was the driest ever experienced in Auckland since meteorological records were first taken systematically, over 40 years ago, Septtjjibcr has nearly established another record for dryness. September's rainfall amounted to only 1.45 in, rain failing on 13 days, the greatest fall on any one day beit:?: .42in on September 24. Tho average for the' month, computed for a period of 44 years, is 3.42 in. Tl'.e past month's fall is therefore considerably less than halt tho average, and,.with one exception, tho lowest over recorded for the month. The greatest rainfall recorded for September was 7.45 in, in 1068; other heavy falls were 6.21 in in 1902 and 5.82 in in 1889. The smallest fall over recorded in this month was .85in, in 1901. There is now a deficiency in the year a rainfall to date of 9.27 in." In the Waikato district, where the nights are still very cold, it is stated that the grass is a long way behind the usual flush, a condition to be expected when the frequent rains required in September haT:: not appeared. The following table shows the rainfall for the last three years, together with tho average fall :— _ 1912. 1913. 1914. Aver. January ... 1.75 2.6-4 1.32 •2.77 February ... 362 1.38 1.66 3.18 March 6.12 '2.34 222 ".70 .April ... ... 5.38 1.48 4.21 3.05 May ... „ 1.66 4.37 4.71 4.50 Juno • ... ... 5.46 1.47 3.32 4.53 July , 4.97 4.37 4.08 4.95August 3.60 5.74 1.16 4.13 September ... 6.53 1.76 1.45 3.42 37.99 25.55 s 24.13 3SUO ,. The total sunshine recorded ■ during th» past m,onth, 139 Lours, averaging 4-hours 38 minutes per day, is higher than usual. Last year 113 hours 15 minutes of sunshino were recorded for September. The mean average temperature for the month, was 53.3deg. Computed over the .period mentioned, the average temperature for this month is S4.Bdeg.