SEVERE STORM IN NOVEMBER

Southland Times, Issue 23680, 1 December 1938, Page 7

SEVERE STORM IN NOVEMBER

IMPROVED SUNSHINE RETURNS RAINFALL BELOW AVERAGE FOR MONTH Two short periods of stormy weather prevented November in Invercargill from being a very favourable month. In spite of the two breaks, temperatures were fairly mild and the rainfall oi 3.24 inches was below the average for the last four years and also below the long-term average for Invercargill. The sunshine figures reached 200 hours for the first month since the winter and showed an increase of more than an hour a day compared with sunshine recorded in October. The month was responsible for a period of the worst weather in the city for several months. Beginning on November 18, cold and rough conditions with strong winds continued for almost a week. The temperature dropped to the lowest level for several months, the maximum recorded on November 22 being only 47 degrees. On this day the storm was at its worst with heavy hail and flakes of snow falling. The weather was unsettled for the next few days, but improved on November 22 and continued fine until the end of the month.

During the last few days of November conditions were warm and were most favourable for the growth of vegetation, night temperatures also being mild. In the first two days of the month the weather was cold and dull, but conditions improved with mostly fine, calm and mild weather until November 14 when showers and strong cold winds were felt. The rainfall was slight for a month which included such a severe storm. The total of 3.24 inches was recorded on 18 days, the heaviest fall being 1.20 inches on November 22. On November 26 .60 inches was recorded and on November 21 .28 inches was recorded. All other falls were below .20 inches and on nine days less than .10 inches was recorded. No rain was. recorded on 12 days, the driest spell of the month being five consecutive days without rain near the beginning of the period. The average fall over the last four years was 3.46 inches and the average for the month over ■, a long period was 4.41 inches, both figures being in excess of this year’s total. Last year’s rainfall in November was 2.56 inches, but the recent average was raised by an exceptional month in 1936 when 4.94 inches was recorded.

There were only three days on which sunshine was not recorded. The maximum period was 14 hours on November 28, which is up to the highest figure recorded for November in Invercargill. Other good “burns” recorded by the sunshine instrument were 12.4 hours on-November 29 and 12 hours yesterday. On eight days 10 hours or more of sunshine were recorded. The total for the month was 200 hours compared with 201.7 hours in November of last year. The average was 6.7 hours a day. Except near the beginning and the end of the month temperatures were not high. The maximum shade temperature reached 70 degrees twice during the first 10 days of the month, but was not as high again until the last two days when it reached 71 degrees. Three late frosts occurred, on November 3,4, and 15 and freezing point was reached on November 27. The maximum frost was two degrees and was sufficient to check tender plants. The wind blew strongly for a fair amount of the month, there being only three completely calm days. While westerlies prevailed, there was a greater amount of wind from the east than' for some considerable time, the wind being in that quarter on 10 days during the month. Following are the detailed returns, supplied by Mr J. L. Lennie, Government weather recorder, taken from readings made at 9 a.m. each day:—

THE RAINFALL The following is a comparative table of the rainfall for the past four years:—

oiutKwKtiocooo-caicn tfj> co to >-* Date.enrol en co co o en <x rfi. en en co 1 co en 1 1 N rfx -O Cloud (0-10) Max. Dry Therm. cn cn ch cn h* cn cn on <ICHl- k CJT>-LCDCHC0QO«<ICncOW’<l lOcncoMtnajH-nocococot-* co CO KU -<i ca £»• cn Min. Dry Therm. CO CO CO CO CO £k dx CO CO 4X co co »u >u o H* h- 1 Terrestrial. KKrOOCot*OOCO*3COC0Ootiw tootaMEpcnOTHSKkJw tio o S CD CO to Solar Max Therm. I I I H m H q H M M H O I 1 1 * 1 O O CO •<> tO O 00 CH 00 » 1 fess'sl ssl gl I 1 1 I w to Rainfall (inches). W | 1 CD ro o p CO CO P o to CH po co CH ro co 4x ‘-<Jcn bo {— * » en k ro bo qi i-* OCOM I CD ‘ Sunshine (hours). W m tn tn ui m co tn en tn tn en <: < MH- | 2!cncn Direction of Wind

January1935 7.19 1936 4.10 1937 4.38 1938 Ave. 3.73 4.85 February 1.53 2.33 5.88 2.20 2.98 March 4.90 5.22 5.41 4.47 5.00 April 5.47 2.73 3.07 .70 2.99 May 4.71 4.36 3.69 4.85 4.40 June 7.38 2.76 2.90 4.28 4.33 July 1.78 4.83 3.48 2.64 3.18 August 3.08 4.20 1.99 2.88 3.40 September 1.12 5.19 2.04 2.01 2.59 October 2.00 4.38 1.37 4.88 3.15 November 3.10 4.94 2.56 3.24 3.46 December 1.51 4.09 3.46