NOVEMBER WEATHER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 291, 7 December 1929, Page 9

NOVEMBER WEATHER

DB. EIDSON’S NOTES [ Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, Dec. 6. Dr. Kidson, Director of Meteorological Services, in his notes on the weather for November, states, inter alia: 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. The sunshine records were also low, while the amount of cloud was correspondingly high. There was more wind than usual, north-westerlies 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 an excess of 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 were below normal in the low-lying country facing the Taranaki Bight from Patea t Foxton, in the Wairarapa and on the plain country of Canterbury and North-Otago. Elsewhere there was an excess that was in most cases considerable. At Auckland, Tairua, Nelson and Clyde the rain 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 the 4th to the 9th, during which two cyclonic depressions crossed the Dominion, the first over Otago and the second over Auckland. Rain was general and many heavy falls were recorded in the North Island and western districts. Flooding occurred at Crushington, near Reef ton, the Wairau, Napier district, 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 the 26th to the end of the month, when a double centred cyclone crossed the South Island. An interesting feature was the copious deposit of red dust from Australia over a wide area in Taranaki, Western Wellington, Nelson and Marlborough.