A WET MONTH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17178, 7 February 1930, Page 6

A WET MONTH

JANUARY REVIEWED METEOROLOGIST'S NOTES (Per CreRS Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. In his notes on the weather for January the Government Meteorologist, Dr. Kidson, slates:— "Though weather of a westerly type has again been less predominant than in ordinary years, the two spells experienced were quite sufficiently vigorous samples. The first occurred during the first week of the month. The principal depression of this series was a deep V depression which crossed New Zealand on January 4. On that day there were widespread northerly gales, very heavy, and genera] rain fell on the 3rd and 4th. In the Thames Valley there was some flooding and the Mangamahoe dam in Taranaki was damaged by a cloudburst on the sth. Though there was Jess rain there were some se% T ere hailstorms in Canterbury, Marlborough, and Wellington. The second westerly spell lasted from the 19th to the 22nd. Northerly or north-westerly gales were particularly severe at Wellington. "The 24 hours ending at 9 a.m. on January 21 was one of the windiest periods* ever experienced in Canterbury, and the high winds also caused some damage. Very heavy rain fell on the ranges of the' South Island during this period and there were considerable snowfalls on the high levels. Thunderstorms were recorded at many places. At Auckland on January 21 a torrential downpour caused flooding in some of the city streets. The steamship Awarua was struck by a thunderbolt while at Half Moon Bay, Stewart Island, on the 20th. "During the remainder of the month the, storm systems were mainly of a cyclonic form. On the Bth a shallow cyclone developed in the Bay of Plenty and deepened rather' rapidly through the night. At the same time a rather intense anti-cyclone crossed the southern portion of the South Island, and the result was that strong southerly or south-easterly winds suddenly set in and rose to gale'force in places, especially in Cook Strait. Temperatures fell, sharply, bringing on an unusually cold spell for the season of the year. "R«iin was almost general, with many heavy falls between January 8 and 11, especially on January 8 and 9, the eastern 'districts receiving the highest totals. On the night of January 8 snow fell on the mountain tops of the South island and hail was recorded at places. Another cyclone approached New Zealand on January 14, and passed through Cook Strait on\Tanuary 15. Except in he far north, there was again general and heavy rain. The falls were particularly heavy in Canterbury, where there ■<"<s much flooding. In Ashburton County the .floods were the heaviest known. Almost general rains, with manv heavy falls, especially in the South Island, were again experienced on January 27 ' and 28, when a cyclone moved across Canterbury. Thunderstorms were rather numerous during the month."