WEATHER IN DECEMBER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18602, 9 January 1924, Page 8

WEATHER IN DECEMBER

HOT AND DRY MONTH.

RECORDS OF RAINFALL.

MOSTLY BELOW AVERAGE.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday.

The Director of tho Meteorological Office, reporting on the weather for December says:—Summer weather continues. It set in very early this year, and December was on the whole hot and dry. Westerly winds, as in November, again prevailed and no ex-tropical disturbances were experiencedthe opposite of last summer, when easterly winds and extropical disturbances ruled- The rainfall was therefore deficient.

In the East Coast districts tho weather was most favourable for shearing and haymaking, although the crops of tlie latter were scanty on account of the dryness of the soil and pasture since the middle of October, Anti-cyclonic conditions, with almost general drought, ruled in the North during the first half of December, while there were three westerly depressions of moderate intensity passing in the South, affording a scattered, but much appreciated, rainfall during the latter part of the month. More intense westerly low pressures passed in the South, and also accounted for the scattered rainfall in the' North. They were, however more notable for the high westerly winds and boisterous conditions which ruled, particularly in and southward of Cook Strait. ■ The north-westerly storm which occurred on December 28 was of great force, and caused damage on the Canterbury Plains. Hot and dry weather was experienced in the East Coast districts and warm, humid conditions generally. During the month the rainfall was again deficient on the east coast, especially of the North Island, hardly any rain falling between the East Cape and Castlepoint. Only .05in. were recorded at Napier and .llin. at Maraekakaho Station, near Hastings. As only .14in. had been recorded at this latter station during tho previous month this is a record dry two monthly poriod there for 30 years. The best and most general rains occurred about December 19 and 20. Soma stations on the west coast of the North Island, such as _ lnglewood and Foxton, showed total rainfalls slightly over the average, and falls above the average were also experienced in Westland and parts of Otago. Elsewhere the falls were from 30 to 88 per cent, below the average of the same month in former years.