SOLAR CONDITIONS

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22513, 23 November 1944, Page 4

SOLAR CONDITIONS

AUSTRALIAN DROUGHT METEOROLOGIST’S DEDUCTIONS Mr K. K. Wragge, of Hamilton, son of the late Mr Clement L. Wragge, world-renowned in the science of meteorology and weather forecasting, commented this morning on the cables concerning conditions in Australia. He said the Australian drought was in the main due to solar minima conditions, which in general meant decreasing and underaverage rainfall in the Southern Hemisphere. . Such minima conditions had to be considered together with inter-acting planetary perturbations and lunar influences in reference to astronomical positions. “Although the etheric ‘pulls’ of the sun reach the earth in approximately eight and one-third minutes, it takes the earth some time thereafter to become so steeped in the changing wave lengths as visibly to affect the seasons in any one country,” said Mr Wragge. “My late father, Mr Clement L. Wragge, was probably the first scientist to enunciate and insist on his startling hypothesis of seasonal weather forecasting, and it has been the good fortune of Mr Inigo Jdnes, of Beerwah (Queensland) and myself to study under him and carry on his work so far as present conditions will permit. “Since the inception of the world war I have had various communications with Mr Inigo Jones in connection with the subject generally, and as recently as early October this year I had occasion to write him in connection with several of my findings. Origin of Drought “I mentioned in the letter that the drought in Australia was due, in my opinion, to the developing and now past trough of the solar minimum, and that other factors were such as to cause partial relief in the autumn and winter of 1945, in conjunction with changing potentials. “It was afiticipated that transcontinental rains in Australia along a line joining Port Darwin, Alice Springs and Adelaide should become manifest in the spring of 1947 or autumy. of 1948, and properly break the drought in inland Australia. From then till 1952 Australian seasons should be good. I also gave Mr Jones my prediction for the years 1959-61 inclusive and 1984-88 inclusive, but it is not necessary to publish these yet. “In conclusion,” said Mr Wragge, “I would like to say that I entirely share my late father’s view and consider the matter of seasonal forecasting of such vital importance, especially to the primary producing countries of the world, as to warrant official recognition and support.”