THE WEATHER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23830, 9 June 1939, Page 6

THE WEATHER

CONDITIONS DURING MAY OFFICIAL OBSERVATIONS <Peb United Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 8. The following report on the conditions experienced during May has been prepared by the Dominion Meteorologist, Dr E. Kidson:Over much the greater part of the country May wds extremely dry. For many places the rainfall was the lowest hitherto recorded and the same applies still more generally to the totals for the first five months of the year, The weather was mild with little wind and no very damaging frosts. The conditions favoured continued growth of pasture. Feed is 1 generally short, however, especially for cattle, and though May caused a less severe drain on supplies than was feared, the prospects for the winter continue to cause anxiety. Supplementary feed crops have generally done poorly, especially in the South Island. The ground, also, has been too hard for proper cultivation. This has resulted in a smaller area of wheat being sown than is usual. The rains towards the end of the month relieved the situation in most districts, permitting ploughing to proceed. Apart from some shortage of feed the conditions have been very favourable for stock, which are generally in a healthy condition. Rainfall The, rainfall totals over the North Island averaged between 60 and 70 per cent, below normal. Numbers of places had a defect of over 80 per cent. In comparatively few places was half the average for May recorded. In the South Island conditions were only a little better in earstern districts. On the West Coast and in Stewart Island, however, the normal was in • most cases exceeded. Parts of the Nolson province had less than average, but the city itself had a wet month. Temperature Temperatures were above normal practically everywhere, the average departure being about Ideg.F. Frosts were numerous and rather severe in the South Island owing to the anticyclonic weather prevailing with clear skies and little wind. In the North Island the nights were rather milder. Snow was confined to a few light falls on the ranges, there is much less on them than usual at this, time of the year. ' i Sunshine Most places report considerably more than average sunshine, though the reverse was the case at Wellington and Hokitika. Invercargill also had slightly less than usual. Many places had over 30 hops above. average. Tauranga reports 206.4 hours. Nelson 190.7 and New Plymouth 187.0. Pressure System*,■ A dry type of pressure system continued to predominate in May, as m the preceding months of this year. Low pressure troughs which lay approximately in the north to south direction, and were quite active when passing eastern Australia, in nearly all cases lost energy before reaching New Zealand. The southern portion of the disturbance would move much faster than the northern, so that the trough would tend more nearly into a west to east direction and become shallow. Before one anti-cyclone had moved oil the North Island, (mother would be moving on to the South. Thus, though the whole gamut of wina changes was experienced frequently over roost of the country, it was accompanied by little rain. At Wellington, fpr example, in one week there were five separate southerly wind chtnges, with northerlies intervening, while only light showers were recorded. Between the sth and 7th a moderate westerly depression crossed the South Island, and caused widespread rain, but , chiefly in western and southern districts. On this occasion there was a heavy fall in Nelson which was of great benefit. From The Bth to 13th .. south-westerly type of weather prevailed, with high pressure over the Tasman Sea and low to the east of New Zealand. Frequent slight disturbances brought further ram, ly ■western and southern districts of the South Island, but over eastern districts and the North Island it continued dry. During this period there were gales on several days in the far south From the 14th to 23rd though two more slight westerly depressions passed in the south, high pressure and anti-cyclonic weather prevailed over the Dominion, and particularly the North Island. The one depression.m the month which did have and maintain a marked extension to both north and south began to approach from the Tasman Sea on the 24th, and had not moved completely off the country until the 28th. There were northerly gales about Cook Strait on the 25th, and some strong southerlies in rear of the depression. It was responsible for general rain, with heavy falls in most districts. In Nelson, Marlborough, and Westland, rivers reached flood levels. The temperatures remained fairly mild; and the snowfalls on the ranges due to this storm were only light. The rains were thus of great value to the country, relieving the water shortage which existed at many places, and bringing the soil into a satisfactory condition.'