LAST MONTH WAS DULL AND HUMID.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18937, 6 December 1929, Page 11

LAST MONTH WAS DULL AND HUMID.

EXCESS RAIN MADE GROWTH TOO RANK IN CERTAIN PARTS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, December 6. Dr E. Kidson, Director of Meteorological Services, in his notes on the weather for November, states, inter alia, that after a long dry spell, rainy conditions had set in over a large part of the country at the end of October. These continued throughout November, which proved a dull and humid month. Heavy rains were recorded, some places having the wettest November for many years. Temperatures were, on the average, below normal, especially over the South Island. Sunshine records were also low, while the amount of cloud was correspondingly high. There was more wind than usual, north-wes-terlies predominating. Feed is abundant in most districts and stock are in fair to good condition. In Otago and Southland conditions are especially good, but in the remaining areas which had excess rainfall, growth has been too rank and the weather has favoured the appearance of fungus and other pests. A spell of dry sunny weather would do good in these districts. In Canterbury and the Wairarapa further rain is needed to ensure good crops and adequate supplies of feed. The rainfall totals for the month w’ere below normal in the low-lying country facing the Taranaki Bight from Patea to Foxton. In the Wairarapa and on the plains country of Canterbury and North Otago and elsewhere, there was excess rain, that was in most cases considerable. At Auckland, Taima, Nelson and Clyde the rainfall was more than double the average for November, while at Tauranga and Maraehako Station (near Opotiki) it was approximately double. There were two principal storm periods, the first being from November 4 to November 9, during which two cyclonic depressions crossed the Dominion, the first over Otago, the second over Auckland. Rain was general, many heavy falls being recorded in the North Island and the western districts. Flooding occurred at Crushington. near Reefton, in the Wairau River, the Napier district, the lower Thames Valley, and as far north as Whangarei. There were several instances of stock being killed by lightning and a house near Hastings was struck. At Ohinemuri mines, near Paeroa, a wall of water fourteen feet high came down one of the creeks and extensive damage was done, one life being lost. The second of the stormiest periods was that from November 26 to the end of the month, when a double centred cyclone crossed the South Island. An interesting feature was a copious deposit of red dust from Australia over a wide area in Taranaki, Western Wellington, Nelson and Marlborough.