WEATHER SUMMARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3912, 5 March 1929, Page 35

WEATHER SUMMARY.

MONTH OF FEBRUARY.

EXCEPTIONALLY LIGHT RAINFALL A very light rainfall was recorded in Dunedin during the month of February, lhe fall, in fact, was the lightest experienced for February during the past five or six years. The total fall last month was 1.46 inches—three inches less than the fall recorded for January and one inch less than the total fall in February last year. Rein fell on 10 days only during the past month, as compared '.Mth 18 days during January. Only one heavy fall of rain was recorded. This was on February 26. when the instruments at the Musselburgh Pumping Statrnn registered .66 inches. The onlv other tans of any consequence were on February 5 (.24 inches) and-February 18 (.23 inches). The conditions were very seasonable throughout the month, with fairlv ong periods of bright sunshine. The longest fine periods were between Febru--13 and February 18 and 23 while the last two days of the month were warm and pleasant. The prevailing winds were light to moderate from the, north-east and south-west. The following table shows the days on which rain fell during the month ended yesterday: —

In 1924 the total rainfall was 24.25 inches. FEBRUARY’ TEMPERATURES. The usual late summer temperatures were recorded during the past month. The conditions generally were pleasant. The average daily maximum thermometer read-, ings were between 62 and 67 degrees. These readings show that the atmosphere throughout tlie month was about two degrees below the temperature recorded for January. The highest temperatures were on February 2 and 3. when 72 degrees in the shade were registered. These readings were 20 degrees less than the highest recorded in January. On February 22 the thermometer rose to 69 and on February 23 to 70 degrees. On 18 days the temperature was between 60 and 67 degrees. The temperature fell below 60 degrees on five days. The lowest readings were on February 15 and 26, when the mercury dropped to 55 degrees. The coldest day was February 15, but a much colder temperature was recorded on January 24, when the maximum thermometer reading was 47 degrees. The lowest minimum reading was on February 6, when the mercury showed 39 degrees. On February 13 the minimum reading was 54 degrees, while 52 degrees were recorded on February 1,2, and 21. The average minimum readings were between 42 and 48 degrees. The temperature was fairly warm towards the end of the month, the thermometer being as high as 63 degrees on February 27. There was a wide range in the barometer readings throughout the month. On nine occasions only were the readings above the 30.00 mark. On February 1 the barometer was as low as 29.52. There was a slight fall during the next three days, the reading on the evening of February 4 being 29.49. This'was the lowest reading for the month. The reading on the evening of February 5 was 29.62. There was a noticeable change during the next eight days, the barometer rising rapidly until it showed 30.16 on the evening of February 11 —a rise pf 54 points in six days. This was the highest reading for the month. On February 12 the barometer showed 30.15. and 29.96 on the evening of February 13. I here was another change during the three days, the barometer falling to 29.75 on the morning of Februarj- 14, and r * s ’ng to 30.10 on the evening of February 17. The barometer was high and fairly steady between February 18 and 22, the reading on the latter date being 29.94. A change in the climatic conditions caused the barometer to fall during the next three days, the reading on the evening of February 25 being "“•51 —a fall of 43 points in 72 hours. The barometer rose 28 points on February 26. and another three points on the following day.

February 2 . . .03 February 17 .. .04 February 4 .. .05 February IS .23 February 5 .. .24 February 23 .. .02 February 6 . . .02 February 25 . . .14 February 13 .. .03 February 26 . . .66 The following table gives the monthly raintali figures for the past five years • — 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 January ... .76 2.08 2.35 1.27 February ... 1.71 March 3.96 5.7 3.43 .78 4.04 1.80 L46 April ... 2.IO 1.28 2.76 Way 1.48 5.44 2.86 .83 June ... ... 2.06 1.24 2.10 1.86 July 3.84 1.3 4.69 .91 August . ... 4.66 .3.15 3.6 .73 September _. 2.16 2.00 3.73 1.52 October ... 2.04 4.51 3.56 4.79 November ... 3.10 3.18 2.62 December ... 2.09 4 78 2.89 3.25 Annual ... 29.87 35.34 33.53 24.43