WEATHER SUMMARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3886, 4 September 1928, Page 69

WEATHER SUMMARY.

THE MONTH OF AUGUST. EXCEPTIONALLY LIGHT RAINFALL. An exceptionally right rainfall was recorded in Dunedin during the month of August. The total fall was ,73in, about 18 points less than the fall recorded for the previous month. Rain fell only on 10 days during August, and the fall was considerably below the average for early spring. The records of the Musselburgh Pumping Station instruments show that only four days of August could be classed as actually “ wet,” as the rainfall on the the other six days was exceptionally light. The rainfall for August was the lightest for any month this year so far and the second lightest for August since 1924. August, 1927, and also the previous August, were very wet months, the falls in both instances being over three inches. A comparison of the weather which prevailed "during the past month and that during August, 1925. shows that August this year was a remarkable period for the number of bright, sunny days, whereas August three years ago was notable for dull skies, gales, -and long periods of rain. In the month referred to the rainfall was 4.66 in, being the heaviest recorded in Dunedin for any month for a period of six years. The figures quoted below show that the heaviest fall was on August 24, when the pumping station instruments registered ,19in. The second heaviest fall was .18iifi on August 21, and the third heaviest ,14in on August 3. lhe only really unpleasant period was experienced from August 22 to 25, when a cold north-east wind blew almost continuously. The last six or seven days of the month were very pleasant, there being considerable warmth in the sun’s rays. The following table shows the days on which rain fell during the month ended yesterday:—

AUGUST TEMPERATURES. The temperatures varied considerably during the past month. The conditions generally were mild, but a number of days were very cold. Being the first month of spring, warmer weather was to be expected. The average daily maximum thermometer readings were between 44 degrees and 56 degrees. These readings show that the atmosphere throughout the month was several degrees warmer than July. On 11 days in August the temperature rose above 50 degrees. The highest temperature was on August 30, when 60 degrees were registered—six degrees more than the highest temperature recorded for July. On August 23 the thermometer rose to 59 degrees, and to 58 degrees on August 4. On August 19, 20, 21, and 22 the thermometer was between the 52 and 54 degrees mark. The temperature was below 48 degrees on 13 days. The lowest maximum reading was on August 15, when the mercury was at the 40 degrees mark. The lowest minimum readings were on August 10 and 25, when the thermometer registered 30 degrees. Several cold days were also experienced in the early part of the month, when the minimum thermometer readings were between 31 and 35 degrees. The barometer was fairly low and also unsteady during the first three or four days of the month. From 29.57 on the evening of August 4 the barometer rose to 30.24 by August 8. The changeable climatic conditions which then took place resulted in the barometer still soaring upwards. It reached the peak on August 9. when the reading was 30.52. This was the highest reading recorded in Dunedin for several months past. The barometer was still very high on August 10 and 11. but, as the atmospheric conditions changed considerably during the next two weeks, some low readings were recorded. From 29.82 on August 22 the barometer fell to 29.35 the following day. This was the lowest reading recorded during the month. The barometer rose to 30.05 on August 25, but during the last six days of the month the readings were between 29.88 and 29.46. CENTRAL OTAGO WEATHER. OPHIR, August 31. After an unusual absence of wind and rain for this month, a very decided change has occurred in the weather. Wednesday was the warmest day of the season, the temperature in the sun being 88Jdeg and in the shade just touching 60deg That night the barometer fell rapidly from 29.84 in to 29.30 in yesterday at 2 p.m. While the fall in pressure was taking place, a strong N.W. breeze blew from 3 to 5 a.m., with several violent gusts of gale force. The wind moderated after sunrise, but continued throughout the day, veering to north and then to N.E. from noon until 2 p.m., when it suddenly backed to S.W., and at 3.30 a brief violent squall of wind occurred with a few drops of rain. This was followed at 4 p.m. by a steady fresh breeze from S.S.W. with steady heavy rain until 7 o’clock, when the wind lulled and the rain ceased. The rainfall measured 40 points, making the total for this month 80 points. This rain will do much good, for the total rainfall for the preceding three months was under two inches. While the rain was falling the temperature dropped to 34deg. so that it snowed fairly heavily upon the higher ground, and this morning shows the Dunstan, and other mountain ranges white to the base—the heaviest fall during this winter. After midnight a shower of rain gave another five points. This was succeeded by a keen frost, the minimum upon the grass this morning, being

22.0 deg or lOdeg below freezing 'toint. It is now (9 a.m.) bright sunshine, with a very light S.E. breeze; the barometer is still fairly low (29.60 in and the weather is likely to be unsettled. All the tussock fires which have been burning in this region for about’ a week have been extinguished, and the smoke haze that enveloped the foothills .and valley has disappeared. The cold snap will be severe upon early lambs and their mothers.

August 2 .. .02 August 16 .. .08 August 3 . . .14 August 17 .. .02 August 8 .. .04 August 21 .. .18 August 9 .. .04 August 24 .. .19 August 14 .. .01 August 25 .. .01 The follow ing table gives the monthly rainfall figures for the past five years — 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 January 1.83 .76 2.08 2.35 1.27 February 1.22 1.71 5.7 3.43 2.45 March .37 3.96 .78 4.04 1.80 April 1.82 2.10 1.28 2.76 3.77 May 2.9G 1.48 5.41 2.86 .83 June 2.72 2.06 1.24 2.10 1.86 July 2.08 3.84 1.3 4.69 .91 August .32 4.66 3.15 3.6 .73 September ... 1.27 2.16 2.00 J. 73 October 4.C8 2.01 4.51 3.56 November ... 1.22 3.10 3.18 2.62 December 2.78 2.09 4.68 2.89 Annual 24.25 29.87 35.34 38.53