WEATHER SUMMARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3890, 2 October 1928, Page 50

WEATHER SUMMARY.

MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. FAIRLY LIGHT RAINFALL. A fairly light rainfall was recorded in i?Ji nCC Tit month ? f Septem-. . F- total fall was 1.52 inches, considerably more than the fall recorded for August. Rain fell on 13 days during the past month, and the fall was below- the average for this season of the year Records compiled at the Musselburgh pumping station show that only six days of o ept ember could be classed as very wet as the rainfall on the other seven days was exceptionally light. The rainfall for ? e P*®mber was two inches less than the fail for September last year, and the third lightest for the ninth month since 19241 Lhe fall miring September. 1927. was very heavy, amounting to 3.73 inches. In the early part of the past month the rainfall was widely spaced, and it was only to? wards the close of the period that actual wet weather set it. From the figures quoted below it will be seen that the heaviest fall was on September 28, when the pumping station instruments registered 30 points. The second heaviest fall was 27 points on September 19, and the tiiird heaviest 25 points on September 17 There were many bright, sunny days durl ing the month, but the really unpleasant period was experienced from September . to September 28. The conditions were similar to winter on September 9, when there was a sprinkling of rain, snow, and sleet. A strong south-west gale prevailed on September 26 and 27. During the greater part of the month the winds were mostly light to moderate from the noi th-east and south-west. The following table shows the days on which ram fell during the month ended on Saturday:—

SEPTEMBER TEMPERATURES. The temperatures varied considerably during the past month. The conditions generally were unsettled, and a number of very cold days were experienced, and warm weather, which is usually the rule at this season, was a rarity. The average daily maximum thermometer readings were between 46 and 56 degrees. These readings show that the atmosphere throughout the month was no warmer than August. On 13 days the temperature rose above 50 degrees. The highest temperature was on September 13. when 67 degrees were registered—seven degrees more than the highest temperature recorded for August. On September 14 the thermometer rose to 59 degrees, and to 60 degrees on September 21. In the early part of the month the average temperature was 50 degrees. The temperature was below 50 degrees on 10 days. The lowest maximum reading was on September when the mercury was at the 40 degreek mark. Forty-seven degrees were recorded on September 8, 10, 22, 26, and 28. The lowest minimum reading was on September 23, when the thermometer registered 30 degrees. The coldest day of the month was September 9, the readings on that date being 32 degrees and 40 degrees, minimum and maximum respectivly.. The atmosphere was very cold from September 22 to September 28, but warm and pleasant during the last two days of the month.

Exceptionally low barometer readings were recorded for the greater part of the month, especially towards the end of the 30-day period. The barometer showed 29.60 on the evening of September 20. Climatic conditions then changed to a marked degree, and the barometer fell very rapidly during the next three days. It was down to 29.20 on the evening of September 23, and fell to 28.62 in less than 12 hours. In 24 hours the barometer fell 98 points at that particular period. The reading on the morning of September 24, namely, 28.62, was the lowest recorded in Dunedin for some considerable time past. The barometer was still very low on the morning of September 25, the reading being 28.80. The readings throughout the month were high, the barometer rising to the 30.00 on only two occasions. The highest reading was 30.05, registered on the morning of September 29. Very low readings were, recorded on September 8 (29.22), September 16 (29.15), September 17 and 18 (29.27), September 19 (29.18), and September 26 (29.22). The barometer rose rapidly on September 28, as the reading on the evening of September 27 was 29.54, while the reading on the following evening was 29.84—a rise of 44 points in ,24 hours.

Sept. 1 . .02 Sept. 19 .37 Sept. 7 . .04 . Sept. 23 Sept. 26 Sept. 27 .04 Sept. 9 Sept. 10 . .10 . .04 .02 .10 Sept. 15 Sept. 28 3*1 Sept. 17 Sept. 18 ' o’ .' ‘6i Sept. 29 .12 The follow! ng table gives the montblv rainfall figure s for the past fit e years — January 1921 1925 1926 1927 1923 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 4.01 1.80 April 1.82 2.10 1.28 2.76 3.77 May 2.96 1.48 5.44 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 3.73 1.5 J October 4.68 2.04 4.51 3.5G 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