WEATHER RECORDS : JULY, 1923.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXVII, Issue 2, 20 August 1923, Page 128

WEATHER RECORDS : JULY, 1923.

Dominion Meteorological Office.

GENERAL SUMMARY.

July is, meteorologically speaking, the midwinter month of the Southern Hemisphere, and in New Zealand has been associated with some heavy falls of snow and hard frosts, especially in the South Island. A westerly depression between the ist and 6th of the month accounted for the widest and heaviest falls of snow, which came down low in the South. Very cold and frosty conditions followed, and one observer states that “ at this time the ground was for days as hard as iron, and the sun had no more effect on the frost than the moon.” From the 16th to the 23rd the weather generally was dull, misty, and wet. Several ex-tropical disturbances passed in the North in this period. A remarkably heavy rainfall was experienced in Poverty Bay; Whakapunake (in the ranges) had a total rainfall of 16-27 in. for the month, which is believed to be the heaviest for that station for any month for the past seven years. The damp and dull weather was trying and unpleasant to animal-life. Cold and changeable conditions followed, and southerly gales on the 27th were succeeded by a remarkable high-pressure system. While the barometer was highest the weather was fine in the greater part of the Dominion, but on the east coast the weather continued cold and damp, with strong south-east winds, which were accounted for by a disturbance which hung on the edge of the anticyclone and in the neighbourhood of the Chatham Islands. During the winter months we get the worst storms, but on the whole the wind is less than usual, and this July was no exception to the rule. Rainfall was also mostly below the average. From America it is reported that observations of the sun show less heat has been radiated during the past seven months than usual, and icebergs in the Atlantic were earlier and more numerous than in former years. This opens up interesting questions concerning terrestrial conditions, and shows that the study of seasonal weather needs a very wide outlook. ■

—D. C. Bates,

Director.

Station. Total Fall. Number of . Wet Days. Maximum . Fall. Average July Rainfall. North Island. Inches. Inches. Inches. Kaitaia . . ■ . 6-34 19 1-36 5’96 Russell 7-58 x 7 1-64 4-26 Whangarei . . . . 778 17 ■ 2-30 8’33 Auckland 2-80 - 19 o-6o 5-10 Hamilton 3’45 14 1-00 5 -2 4 Kawhia . . . . 3-7° 16 I-OI 6-86 New Plymouth 5-65 16 1-64 6’35 Inglewood 6-54 I 7 1-62 10-23 Whangamomona . . 4-36 18 I-IO 7-68 Tairua, Thames 5'94 15 o-94 ' 5-15 Tauranga .. - . . 4'53 13 i-6o 5-12 Maraehako Station, Opotiki 3-76-13 0-76 4’45 Gisborne . . . 6-67 23 ' 1-87 5’21 ■ Taupo 2-42 13 0-82 4'21 Napier . . . . . . 3-65 18 0-84 3’95 Maraekakaho Station, Hastings . . 5-40 22 0-97 3-83 Taihape 2-62 19 0-42 3’33 Masterton . . . . 5’49 26 1’37 4’43 Patea .. . . 2-98 15 0-56 4-10 Wanganui ... 1-32 8 °-33 3-63 Foxton . . i-94 7 0-72 3‘47 Wellington 377 19 0-71 5-73

Station. Total Fall. Number of Wet Days. Maximum Fall. Average July Rainfall. South Island. Inches. Inches. Inches. Westport . . . . 2-83 14 0-90 6-99 Greymouth -I 5 8 1-22 8-43 Hokitika . . . . ■ ... 2-50 8 ' 1-06 9-20 Arthur’s Pass . . . . 4-25 1 4-25 12-53 Okuru, Westland . . 2-54 7 1'54 12-03 Collingwood 8-35 10 2’21 9-65 Nelson .. ... 2-56 9 1-20 3’53 Spring Creek, Blenheim . . 1-52 - 10 o-8o 3-93 Tophouse 3'56 9 i‘5° 5-65 ■ Hanmer Springs . . . . 274 11 0-64 5-15 Highfield, Waiau 2-50 15 0-52 2-42 Gore Bay .. 2-53 19 0-70 • 3-3i - Christchurch . . . . 3’90 22 . 0-85 2-77 Timaru . . . . . . 1-82 11 0-52 i-95 Lambrook Station, Fairlie 0-82 6 0-40 2-72 Benmore Station, Omarama 0-50 6 0-16 1-74 Oamaru . . . . 0-96 13 0-25 1-78 Queenstown . . .. 1-38 3 i-o.5 2-01 Clyde.. 0-28 4 008 - o-94 Dunedin . . . . . . 2-14 13 0-62 3-02 Gore . . .. 1-08 10 0-25 2-05 Invercargill 1-62 12 0-42 3'45

RAINFALL FOR JULY, 1923, AT REPRESENTATIVE STATIONS.