MARCH WEATHER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22392, 13 April 1936, Page 12

MARCH WEATHER

CHANGEABLE MONTH UNUSUALLY COLD SPELL SEVERAL STORMY PERIODS [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION'] WELLINGTON. Saturday The fact that the weather during March was on the whole as cold as any ever experienced during that month is noted by the Government meteorologist, Dr. E. Kidson, in his monthly review of the Dominion weather. There were several very stormy periods, and the month was a very wet one in most districts, though not nearly so much so as February. On the night of March 2-3, a depression. which had been shallow when it crossed tho country, deepened very much while to the eastward. In consequence, southerly gales blew and heavy rain fell over the South Island and across Cook Strait to the southern portion of the north. Snow fell on tho ranges, and a tornado was reported near Tauranga.

Following the passage of an innocuous depression on March 7, pressure again fell rapidly to the east of New Zealand on the Bth and continued low until the 11th. Gales from between west and south wero experienced at many places, and heavy rain was almost general. The falls were particularly heavy in eastern districts of tho South Island, and widespread floods occurred. Canterbury and Banks Peninsula fared the worst. There wero heavy snowfalls on the high levels. Heavy rain again fell over the South Island in connection with a depression which moved on to the Dominion during March 20 and 21. Though vigorous at first, this depression lost energy when a cyclone moved down from the north, and, keeping to the eastward, passed near Chatham Island. On March 25, a deep cyclone, which had first appeared off the Queensland coast on the 18th, passed Norfolk Island on tho westward side, and on the 26th was centred near Cape Maria van Diemen. Moving in a south-easterly direction, it was centred off East Cape on the morning of March 27, and soon moved away. It was responsible for very severe gales and remarkably high tides from Auckland northward, and much damage was done. Heavy rain was recorded over most of the North Island, but the amounts, nevertheless, were surprisingly small for so deep and slow-moving a cyclone.