WEATHER SUMMARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3769, 8 June 1926, Page 29

WEATHER SUMMARY.

THE MONT n OF MAY. EXCEPTIONALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. The month of May was marked by an exceptionally wet period, rain falling on 25 days. The month was remarkable for the vagaries of the weather. The sun bathed the earth for several hours for many days,-but in the afternoons and nights the sky was banked with heavy clouds, and rain fell, sometimes for hours at a stretch-. The total rainfall for the month, as shown by records, compiled at the Musselburgh Pumping Station, was 5.44 in. This was the heaviest fall for the month of May during the past six or seven years. The only days ou which rain did not fall were May 18, 19, 24, 29, 30, and 31. Rainfalls were recorded for every day from May 1 to May 17. The heaviest fall was on May 13, when the pumping station instruments recorded 1.26 in. The next heaviest fall was on May 27, when .84in was recorded. The fall was fairly light from May 2 to May 9. and between May 15 and May 21, and also on May 25 aud 26. On referring to the table given below it will be seen that the total rainfall for the past five months lias been much heavier than during the first five months of last year. The following table shows the total daily rainfall for the past month:Inches. Inches.

The last three days of May were fine, with a bracing atmosphere. The sky was banked with heavy clouds on Saturday afternoon, and there was a mere trickle of rain about 3 p.m. On Sunday and yes ter day the sun beamed from a cloudless sky. The following table gives the figures for the past four years and the first five months of this year:—

WEATHER STATISTICS. With winter close at hand, it is only natural that there should be a deoided drop in the temperature. The past month was noted for the number of davs on which the temperature was very chilly. Being the fifth month of the year, there was very little

heat from the sun’s rays. There were several bright, sunny days, but the nights were mostly wet and chilly. The temperature, however, was very bracing throughout the month. ’lhe average daily maximum temperature was about 46, ar.d the average daily minimum 35, representing in each case a drop of about 14 and 4 degrees, as compared with the thermometer readings for the month of April. The lowest readings were recorded on May 14, when the mercury stood at 33 degrees (minimum) and 40 degrees (maximum). The temperature was just as chilly on May 12, when the readings were 33 degrees and 41 degrees, minimum and maximum respectively. The temperature was also on the chilly side on May 5, 10, 11, 13, 15 20, and 21, when the readings averaged 36 degrees (minimum) and 44 degrees (maximum). The warmest day was on May 7, when the mercury rose to 54 degrees (maximum). On May 22 the mercury started to climb, the readings on that date being 46 degrees (minimum) and 47 degrees (maximum). The temperature rose on May 23 and 24, when the readings wore 42 and 48 and 39 and 49 degrees, minimum and maximum respectively. On May 26 the minimum reading was 37 degrees and the maximum 47 degrees. On May 27 the maximum reading was 45. on May 28 44, May 29 45, and May 50 46 degrees. I he barometer readings varied to a large extent during the past month. In the early part of May the readings were exceptionally low. On Mav 3 the mercury showed 28.87 at 8 a.m., 28 83 at noon and 23 84 at 5 p.m. These were the average readings for three or four davs during tho first part of the month. The barometer showed a rising tendency on May 6 the highest reading on that date being 29.84. On Mav 14 the readings were 29.58 at 8 a.m., 29.68 at noon, and 29.75 nt 5 p.m----1 hereafter the mercurv rose quickly, and remained at the 30 00 mark for several days. On Mav 16 the readings were 30.10 (8 a.m.), 70.12 (noon), and 30.17 (5 p.m ). On May 20 the reading at 8 a.m- was 39.24. From this date there was another change, the mercurv again trailing downwards. The readings on Mav 22 were 29.55 at 8 a.m.. 29.40 at noon, and 29 35 at 5 p.m. On Mav 23 the readings were 29.26 (8 a.m.), 29.25 (noon), and 29.24 (5 p.m.)- The barometer began to rise again after Mav 24. On May 23 Me mercury sfood at 29.77 at, 8 a.m 29 80 at noon, and 29.84 at 5 P.m. The mercurv continued to climb, as the readings on May 29 were 30.00 at 8 * m., 30.05 at noon, and 3012 at 5 p.m. The barometer reached its highest for the month yesterday, when the readings were -0.49 at 8 a.m., noon, and 5 p.m. OPHITE The observer at the Ophir (Central Otago) meteorological station supplies the following report for the month of Mav, 1926: T l i» temperature of the first 11 days of the month promised a mild May and, following the spell of summerlike days in April, encouraged bird find plant life as if it were, spring. But suddenly, on the morning of the 12th, winter came. The average temperature for the first II days was 46.1 degrees, and for the remaining 20 days 33.4 degrees—a drop of nearly 11 degiees The snow that fell on the 12th covered the whole of the Central, and, although the valleys and well up the mountain ranges are now fairly clear, the tops will be clad for some three months at least. The. average maximum dry-bulb tempera ture for the whole month was 48.0 degrees, the average minimum 30.4 degrees, and the mean 39.2 degrees (April 54.1 degiees). The extreme shade maximum recorded was G 1.2 degrees on two afternoons—7th and Bth—and ihe extreme minimum 17.9 degrees on the morning of the 17th. The ground temperature fell below freezing point on every night except two—the coldest nights showing as follows:—l7th, 12.0 degress; 15tb and 16th, 14.0 degrees; 19th, 16.5 degiees; 29th and 31st, 17.0 degrees. The average for the month was 24.5 degrees. The corresponding wet-bulb readings were; Average max., 43.9 degrees; average min., 30.1 degrees; mean, 37.0 degrees. The avenge clearness of sky at 9 a.m. was 58 per cent Fog prevailed throughout two days (23rd and 31st) and four nights. The month was veiy calm Recorded at 9 am, 23 days were calm and the remain ing e : ght days had a breeze with two miles per hour velocity. The total rainfall (including Gin snow on the 12th) was unusually high for May—namely, 178 points, compared with 82 points in 1924 and 66 points in 1925. Rain fell on 13 days, the heaviest fall being 45 points during the 24 hours preceding 9 a.m. on the 12th. The barometer showed a remarkable range of 1.75 inches—from 28.76 in on the 3rd to 30.51 in on the 31st. SAMOA. APIA OBSERVATORY RECORD. Mr A. Thomson, Director of the Apia Observatory, forwards the meteorological summary for April, from which the following facts are gathered; The average maximum dry-bulb temperature was 85.4 degiees Fah., the average minimum 74.8 degrees, and the approximate mean for the month 79.53 degrees—a daily excess of .64 degrees above the normal (78.91 degiees) for April. The highest reading in the shade was 89 degrees on the 16th, and the lowest 70 degrees on the 30th. The mean relative humidity was as follows:—7 a.m., 87.7; 2 p.m.. 75.3; and 9 p.m., 86.3 per cent, of saturation. Total bright sunshine, 173.9 hours. There were 12 clean days, 11 partly cloudy, ar.d seven cloudy. Lightning, accompanied by thunder, occurred upon three days. The rainfall measured 5.30 in, which fell upon 11 days. This is only a little abo'* half of the normal rainfall for April, which is i 0 24in, and the deficiency for the four months of this year now amounts to 14.59 in. The greatest day’s rainfall for the month was I. on the 10th. WAIKOUAITI. The rainfall recorded at Waikouaiti during May amounted to 401 points. The total fall sinco the beginning of the year has been 11. ps compared with 8.02 in for the corresponding period of 1925.

May 1 . .28 May 14. .. .14 May 2 . .06 May 15 .. .04 May 3 . .04 May 10 .. .02 May 4 . .08 May 17 .. .08 May 5 . .06 May 20 .. .02 May 6 . .04 May 21 .. .08 'May 7 . .02 May 22 .. .14 May 8 . .02 May 23 .. .25 May 9 . .03 May 25 .. .03 May 10 . .12 May 26 .. .02 May 11 . .01 May 27 .. .84 May 12 . .26 May 28 .. .04 May 13 . 1.26

1022. 1023. 1024. 1925. 1920 January ... .. 3.40 2.24 1.83 .76 2.08 February ... . 1.06 4.20 1.22 1.71 6.7 March ... . 6.65 2.88 .02 3.96 78 April .. 1.04 11.58 1.82 2.01 1.04 Muy ... . 1.56 3.02 2.06 1.48 5.44 .. 4.42 3.96 2.72 2.06 July .. 1.78 2.00 2.08 3 84 August .. 1.70 .86 .32 4 66 September .. 1.17 1.20 1.27 2.16 October .. 1.32 ;.oo 4.68 2.01 November .. 4.14 1.68 1.22 3.10 December .. 3.44 1.00 2.76 2.09 Annual .. 31.68 37.21 24.25 29.87