WEATHER SUMMARY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22825, 9 March 1936, Page 7

WEATHER SUMMARY

METEOROLOGIST'S REPORT WETTEST FEBRUARY ON RECORD (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 7. February is usually a dry month, but this year not only did we have by far the wettest February hitherto recorded in New Zealand, but except for the western and southern portions of the South Island, it is doubtful whether even in a winter month so much rain has fallen over the country as a whole. Flooding occurred at times over practically the whole of the North Island, and in parts of the Auckland province the floods of the Ist-and 2nd were of record proportions. In South Marlborough. Canterbury, and North-eastern Otago, also, there was heavy flooding. In Canterbury the floods of the 19th to 21st were the most severe since 1923 and the Ashley River rose to unprecedented heights. In addition, there was much cloudy and humid weather between the rains. In consequence of the wet weather there has everywhere been a rank growth of pasture. Stock are in good condition generally and the milk yield has been well maintained. For sheep the grass is too rank and soft and liimbs are not fattening well. Severe damage has been done to the wheat crop, which otherwise would have been excellent. In many cases grain, both standing and in stooks, has sprouted. Other crops are generally poor, and conditions have been extremely unfavourable for haymaking. The apple crop, however, appears to be satisfactory. White butterflies, though not so numerous as in 1934-35. were more plentiful than earlier in the summer. RAINFALL.

Over the whole of the North Island extremely wet weather prevailed and the totals were generally about three to four times the average for February, though in places with a westerly aspect conditions were, relatively, not quite so bad as elsewhere. In Marlborough, most of Canterbury, and Eastern Otago. similar conditions prevailed. Most of Westlairl, the M'Kenzie Country, the interior of Otago, and Southland had less than the average rain. In South Westland there were some heavy falls. • TEMPERATURES.

Though there were cold spells on the 7th to Bth (when considerable snow fell on the ranges of the South Island), the 19th and the 26th, the month was comparatively mild. In most cases the mean temperatures were below normal, but there were freauent exceptions to this rule. On the West Coast means were generally above the average. Marlborough and most of Canterbury experienced a cold month, the departures from normal being approximately 2 degrees Fahrenheit. Few frosts were reported. SUNSHINE.

Invcrcargill with 189.1 hours had considerably more sunshine than usual, while Gore and Dunedin also were above the average. Everywhere else there were large deficencies, 40 to 50 hours being common. It was chc absence of sunshine and consequent low maximum temperatures which was principally responsible for the low mean temperatures for the month. Tauranga with 207.2 hours had the highest registration. SIORM SYSTEMS.

During the night of the Ist and the morning of the 2nd a deep cyclone which had originated some days before as n tropical cyclone to (he north-west of the New Hebrides, rapidly increasing its speed of movement, travelled down the western side of the Auckland peninsula and thence across the centre of the North Island and away in a south-east-erly direction. Tn most of the Auckland province north-easterly gales were followed, after the centre passed, by southwesterly. Elsewhere over the North Island southerly or south-easterly gales were experienced. Though short-lived, owing to the rapid movement of the storm, these winds rose to whole gale force in some exposed positions. It was probably the most violent storm ever experienced at most, places in the North Island and certainly caused more destruction than nny previous one. Extremely heavy rains occurred, falls of four to eleven inches being the rule. Though there were some heavy rainfalls, principally in Marlborough, the South Island was little affected. The remaining storms were rather complex in structure and nono was severe until the centre had passed New Zealand, although heavy rains were produced. The first of these systems operated from the 6th to the Oth. On the 7th to Bth there were southerly gales; the temperature dropped sharply: snow fell on the ranges of the South Island; and there were many violent thunder and hnil storms. Rain was practically general and in many places heavy. Canterbury had heavy rains on this occasion. Widespread though brief flooding occurred. Another very wet period was from the 17th to (lie 22nd. There was no very violent storm, but t'.ie persistence of high pressure in the Chatham Island region while depressions approached from the west led to the rainfall being very heavy, especially in Canterbury, where there was severe flooding and much damage done. At Akaroa (H inches of rain fell between 0 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. on the 20th. and for 24 hours the fall was 11.73 inches. A depression which passed on the 2ofh deepened when to the eastward and was followed by a severe southerly gale. Again there was henvy rain at many places. Thunderstorms were frequent during the month and unusually violent. Several buildings were struck and some stock were killed. A hailstorm in the Nelson district on the 7th did much damage to the tobacco crop.