WEATHER RECORDS : OCTOBER, 1923.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXVII, Issue 5, 20 November 1923, Page 340

WEATHER RECORDS : OCTOBER, 1923.

Dominion Meteorological Office.

GENERAL SUMMARY.

Spring-time weather, in spite of its capricious and often stormy character, is marked by increasing warmth and humidity which finds a natural response from the soil, and it must not be overlooked that both sunshine and rain are necessary for the most desirable results. Rainfall, however, is mostly associated with dull days and cool changes ; and, though unwelcome to the pleasure-seeker, it is everywhere the immediate factor which spells success or failure to the farmer.

October is the middle month of spring in New Zealand, and this year it was very changeable. There were at least five westerly depressions ; one, which culminated on the 24th, was severe. Three ex-tropical cyclones also passed in the North, and one which hung about East Cape from the 13th to-the 19th was particularly intense about the 15th.

Rainfalls differed very greatly over the Dominion, and though mostly above the average in the northern and east-coast districts of the North Island and in North Canterbury, most other parts of the country showed a deficiency ; Nelson and Westland Districts showed from 40 to 70 per cent, deficiency.

Temperatures on the whole were about the average, but # the cold southerly about the middle of the month did considerable damage.

—D. C. Bates,

Director.

Station. Total Fall. Number of Wet Days. Maximum Fall. Average October Rainfall. North Island. 1 Inches. Inches. Inches. Kaitaia 12-98 17 2-88 4-48 Russell . . ■ . . .. 4’79 12 1-06 3’27 Whangarei 4-22 14 i-8o 4A8 Auckland 3'74 20 I-I2 3-62 Hamilton 6-oo 20 I-IO . 4-82 Kawhia 5’34 15 o-86 5’28 New Plymouth . . . . 5'20 19 0-98 5-47 Inglewood . . . 9-28 20 i-54 10-09 Whangamomona 6-62 20 0-96 9-n Tairua, Thames .. 6-02 13 1-62 6-89 Tauranga . . . . • 6-n 23 i-45 ■ 5-36 Maraehako Station, Opotiki 5-28 II I-IO 5’50 Gisborne . . 3’39 12 I-IO 2-84 Taupo . . . . ■ .. 6-oo IO I-IO 4-28 Napier 3’77 12 1-22 2-30 Maraekakaho Station, Hastings . . 4’95 18 1-22 2-98 Taihape . 3-64 22 0-70 4-3° Masterton .... . . . . 4'59 19 0-96 3'34 Patea . . . . . . 4\56 17 o-86 4- 11 Wanganui . . . . . . 3'45 9 . 0-85 3-65 Foxton ■ . . . 3-36 11 o-66 3.-°7 Wellington . . . . 3-83 16 i-ii . 4-15 South Island. Westport . . . . 2-33 16 1-05 6-97 Greymouth 4-66 15 , 2-26 io-66 Hokitika '. . .. 8-o8 17 ' 2-98 n-74 Arthur’s Pass . . 10-58 15 5-12 20-99

Station. Total Fall. Number of Wet Days. Maximum Fall. Average October Rainfall. South Island continued. Inches. Inches. Inches. Okuru, Westland 18-54 14 ' 2-88 co 15-37 co 15-37 Collingwood .. .. 5-86 15 1-44 11-03 Nelson 1-67 12 0-30 3--D Spring Creek, Blenheim. . 2-06 . 12 075 2-39 Tophouse . . ... 3-56 13 I-I9 5-80 Hamner Springs 5-38 12 1-30 2-66 Highfield, Waiau .. 3-16 12 0-72 2-02 Gore Bay 3-20 9 1-40 i-8o Christchurch . . . . • • 1-73 10 0-78 I-65 Timaru . . . . ... i-74 11 0-64 1-97 Lambrook Station, Fair lie 1-40 9 . 0-62 2-00 Benmore Station, Omarama x-86 9 0-58 2-09 Oamaru 0-67 6 0-40 i-66 Queenstown . . . . 2-14 9 0-46 3-60 Clyde . . I-OI .7 0-50 1-58 Dunedin . . . . 3-33 12 0-85 3'°5 Gore 1-91 15 0-42 3-35 Invercargill* 3-12 17 0-64 4-61

RAINFALL FOR OCTOBER, 1923, AT REPRESENTATIVE STATIONS.