WEATHER IN MARCH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24261, 1 April 1940, Page 9

WEATHER IN MARCH

RECORDINGS FOR THE MONTH LOW RAINFALL EXPERIENCED Compared with the first two month* of 1940, the month of March was exceptionally dry. Ram fell on only 11 days, and the greatest fall recorded was .39 inches on March 26. The total fall was 1.29 inches, compared with 3,10 inches in February, and 5.17 inches in January. March, last year, was also a dry month, the total being .93 inches; The total of 177 hours 30 minutes sunshine is a little over the average for March over the past 10 years. In March, 1933. the total was 203 hours 50 minutes, but this is the only occasion since records were kept on which over 200 hours have been registered for the month, and in 1934 the total was as low as .104 hours 45 minutes. There were only two days on which the sun did not shine, and on five days the total was over 10 hours. Temperatures varied between 39 degrees and 85 degrees, an unusual range at any time of the year. The average maximum was 66 degrees—the same as in the previous month, and two degrees higher than the for March, 1939. The highest recorded was 85 degrees, compared with 76 in February and 76 in March of last year. The wind varied from north-east to south-west, with occasional calm periods and few days of boisterous weather. Rainfall Records The following are the rainfall records for March: — in. In. March 1 .. .01 March 21 .. .08 March 3 .. .11 March 25 ~ .04 March 4 .. .20 March 26 ~ .39 March 9 .. .09 March 30 .. .06 March 10 .. .17 March 31 .. .08 March 11 .. .06 Rainfall for month—l. 29 inhes. Number of rain days—Eleven. Greatest fall for one day—-. 39 inches. The following table gives the monthly rainfall totals for the past five years:—

In 1924 the total was 24.25 in; in 1925, 29.87 in: in 1926, 25.34 in; in 1927, 38.03 in; in 1928, 24.43 in; in 1929, 32.75 in; in 1930, 37.30 in; in 1931, Sl.llin; in 1932, 38.82 in; in / 1933, 29.041 n; in 1934, 29.28 in; in 1935, 21.571 n. Sunshine Records The following are the sunshine records for March:—

Total sunshine for month —177 hr 30min. Number of days without sunshine—Two. Greatest period of daily sunshine —11 hours 50 minutes. Temperatures Average masemim temperature—66 degrees. „„ , Average minimum temperature—47 deglfflghest temperature for month—Bs degrees. Lowest temperature for month—39 degrees. The following table gives a comparison between the temperature for last month, those for February and those for March of

193S. 1937. 1937. 1939. 1940. in. in. in. in. in. January .. . 1.33 3.18 3.45 2.00 6.17 February ., . 5.77 6.19 0.67 1.55 3.10 March , 5.77 3.18 1.30 0.93 1.29 April , 1.40 4.64 2.90 1.17 May .. . 1,79 3.35 1.66 0,88 June .. .. , 9.77 2.56 3.18 2.18 July .. .. 3.83 1.38 2.01 5.88 August , 2.44 1.61 0.70 2.29 v September 2.88 1.96 1.70 1.44 October . 2.28 0.53 1.91 0.98 November 2.82 1.05 3.26 1.44 December 5.29 2.57 8.59 0.85 Totals 36.37 32.10 31.33 21.57 9.57

h. m. h. m. March 1 . 2 50 March 17 . 9 20 March 2 . 11 50 March IS , 8 45 March 3 . 4 15 March 19 , ,, 7 23 March 4 .. 6 55 March 20 .. 5 35 March 5 , .. 4 00 March 21 . 4 00 March 6 . 3 30 March 22 . 7 45 March 7 , 6 30 March 23 . 6 25 March S , .. 11 10 March 24 . 10 00 March 9 .. nil March 25 , . 5 05 March 10 . 6 05 March 26 nil March 11 . 5 30 March 27 . 3 35 March 12 . . 6 35 March 28 . . 2 15 March 13 . . 10 20 March 29 . . 7 10 March 14 . . 10 30 March 30 . . 5 00 March 15 . . 0 55 March 31 . 2 05 March 16 . 2 10

last year:Mar., Feb., Mar., 1940 1940 1939 Average maximum .. 66 66 64 Average minimum .. 47 49 51 Highest 1 .. 85 76 76 ■ Lowest .. 39 44 42