WEATHER FOR AUGUST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22053, 8 September 1933, Page 7

WEATHER FOR AUGUST

METEOROLOGIST'S REPORT (Per United Press Association^) WELLINGTON, September 6. The Dominion Meteorologist reports as follows on the weather for the month of •August:— General. —August was an excellent winter month. Reports from almost all parts of the country bliow that the season is unusually far advanced. There has already been some growth of grass, and crops and pastures are looking very well. Though temperatures have been about normal there ha 9 been an absence, throughout the winter, of days w<hen strong winds, cold, and rain, hail or snow, combine to produce severe conditions for man, beast, and plant. The mountains are unusually free from 6now for the time of year, while on the low levels there have been no falls of consequence. Stock have come through the winter very well, especially dairy cattle. The shortage of* rainfall continues in Canterbury, Marlborough, and some other eastern areas. In parts of Canterbury feed is scarce and reserves are practically exhausted. Parts of the Wairarapa, also, are experiencing rather stringent conditions. The situation even in these districts would, however, be righted by good rains during the next two months, and the general outlook is very satisfactory. Rainfall. —The distribution of rainfall during the month was too patchy to describe in detail. In general there was a deficiency in eastern districts, while western districts had approximately the average. The principal areas with an excess were on the Taranaki coast, about Cook Strait, and in the western parts of Otngo and South Canterbury. In the Auckland province conditions varied considerably from place to place. In Canterbury, Hawke's Bay, and Poverty Bay, totals were much below average. Temperatures. Mean temperatures were rather above normal over the greater part of the country, but the contrary was the case in eastern districts from Marlborough northwards and in the far north. There was an absence -of extremes of any kind, and frosts were less numerous and less severe than usual. Sunshine.—The differences between the total sunshine recorded at various places and the averages for August did not show any systematic arrangement. Excellent records were experienced at Tanranga (211.1 hours), Luke Tekapo (197.0 hours), and New Plymouth (193.3 hours). Pressure Systems.--None of the storms experienced during the month were severe, and there was a marked tendency for those coming from Australia to lose intensity before crossing the Dominion. The first four days "were cold, showery, and rather boisterous, owing to the pass age of westerly depressions on the 2nd and 4th, the latter being the deeper of the two. Each was followed by southerly gales, whilp some parts had westerly or northerly gales as the second approached. Snow was widespread on the high levels, and numerous hailstorms were reported. A fine spell followed until another westerly depression arrived on the 10th. This caused northerly gales, which were particularly strong in the Cook Strait area. At Carterton some damage was done by a small tornado. Again there were some hailstorms and a certain amount of snow on the high levels. Rain was almost general and many of the falls heavy. In South Auckland some flooding was reported. A particularly fine and

culm spell was then experienced, and it was not until the 21st and the 22nd that a complex depression once more caused practically general rains. There were north-easterly gales at many places from Cook Strait northwards on the 21st, A fifth westerly storm passed -slowly between the 24th and 27th. All parts of the Dominion experienced some rain, and many of the falls were again heavy. Thunderstorms occurred at many places, especially in the North Island. A part of Auckland was affected by a short-lived hailstorm on the 27th in which some of the stones were unusually large. Pressure remained low to the east of the North Island for some time, and on the 28th heavy rains fell in the Hawke's Bay and Poverty Bay districts.