WEATHER FOR OCTOBER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22723, 8 November 1935, Page 5

WEATHER FOR OCTOBER

METEOROLOGIST'S REPORT (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 6. The Dominion Meteorologist supplies the following weather report for the month of October: — GENERAL. October can be regarded as having been a favourable spring month, the main features of which were the generally mild temperatures and a plentiful rainfall, especially in the last 10 days. The rain in South Canterbury relieved the fear of severe loss through the prolonged dry weather, and by the close of the month crops and pastures had made a good recovery in that district. Over the greater part of the Dominion there was a vigorous growth of vegetation, and consequently stock are in splendid condition and there has been a remarkable increase in dairy production. RAINFALL. The total rainfall was above the average over most of the North Island, but below in the northern part of the Auckland Peninsula and at a few isolated places in the Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay and Taranaki districts. In the South Island an excess was recorded north of Greynioutli and Akaroa, while further south there was a deficiency. The greatest percentage above normal in the North Island occurred at Napier, where it was 88 per cent., and in the South Island at Waian, with 93 per cent, above. In South Canterbury the aggregate was only slightly below or just about the average. TEMPERATURE. Temperatures were nearly everywhere above the average, although the departure was nowhere a great one. Napier had 2.6 degrees above, Auckland 2.2, and places in South Canterbury and Otago had over 1 degree above. In the coastal area between Wellington City and New' Plymouth and at Invercargill it was very slightly below, while in North Canterbury it did not vary much from the average. Christchurch experienced a frost of nine degrees on the morning of October 20 and one of eight degrees on October 16, but otherwise there were no severe frosts during the month, many districts reporting none at all. SUNSHINE. 1 Owing to a considerable amount of dull weather during the latter part of the month sunshine was less than the average in most districts, the only excess being experienced in North Auckland, the east coast district south from Christchurch and in Southland. The largest total amount recorded was 215 hours at Napier. Tauranga had 211, Mastcrton 198, Nelson 193, and Christchurch 186 hours. PRESSURE SYSTEMS. Up till the 13th, although pressure was often high over the North Island, frequent depressions of the westerly typo moved across the South Island. Consequently, although temporary changes to south-westerly occurred inplaces, the winds were mainly northwesterly or westerly, and invariably strong about and south of Cook Strait. What little rain fell during this period was confined mostly to the western and far southern parts of the South Island, the weather remaining fair and warm in all eastern areas. During the night of the 13th a rather deep depression of the above type crossed the Dominion, and by the morning of the 14th winds had become, south-westerly or southerly generally, rain accompanying the change in most districts, with a drop in temperature. The rainfall was only light and scattered in most of the eastern districts. A slight secondary which developed off Cape Egmont during the night of the 15th, and crossed the central portion of the North Island on the 16th, was responsible for thunder and hail at places between Taranaki and the East Coast district of the North Island. A heavy hail storm occurred in Wanganui on the afternoon of the 16th, the storm in the up-river district being a particularly severe one. During the next two days, while an anti-cyclone was crossing the Dominion, fine weather prevailed generally. On the 19th a rather sharp depression passed rapidly over the country, and a southerly change which followed in the night brought rain, though chiefly light falls, to most districts, and some snow' to some highlevel places in .the South Island. By the morning of the 20th this disturbance had disappeared and the front of a new anti-cyclone had moved on to New Zealand, an improvement setting in generally. The 21st was a brilliantly line day over most of the Dominion, -but by the morning of the 22nd the anticyclone wars passing off New Zealand and an extensive and complex depression was approaching from the westward. The latter w : as the most important depression of the month, as it was responsible for warm, beneficial rains throughout the Dominion during the night of the 22nd and from the 23rd to the 20th. It was unusually slow moving, but winds associated w'ith it were, fortunately, not unduly strong. By the morning of the 20th the central portion of the depression had definitely commenced to move awmy eastwards, and improved conditions were in evidence on the 27th. The anti-cyclone which was following, however, unfortunately took a northerly course, passing to the north of New Zealand, and a depression had extended on to the Dominion by the 28th. Consequently, conditions became unsettled in western areas, with scattered rain, heavy falls occurring in the Cook Strait area on the latter day. By the morning of tiie 29th this disturbance bad greatly intensified, and its centre w r as located east of the South Island. It had passed beyond effective range on the 30th, but a new cyclonic depression had moved from the north-west on to the North Island. Dull, misty weather prevailed on the last two days, heavy rains occurring in the North Island and part of the East Coast districts of the South Island, the Wairarapa and parts of the Wellington district experiencing considerable flooding. 'The winds were strong and chiefly south-westerly south of New Plymouth and Napier, but northerlies and westerlies prevailed in the northern half of the North Island. In Westland and Otago the weather was mainly fine during these two days.