WEATHER RECORDS : FEBRUARY, 1928.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3, 20 March 1928, Page 220

WEATHER RECORDS : FEBRUARY, 1928.

The Director of the Dominion Meteorological Office (Dr. E. Kidson) reports as follows : GENERAL NOTES. The month began with the Dominion in the throes of one of the driest spells experienced for many years, but after, the first week the prospects of rain began to improve gradually, each successive pressure disturbance causing more widespread rain than its predecessors. On the 21st conditions became definitely favourable, and rains, though still far from general and in most cases only light, fell over large parts of both Islands. The type of weather changed completely thenceforward. General rains fell on the 23rd-24th. and the 26th-27th. From the 24th there was a considerable drop in temperature. Snow fell on many of the mountain areas, especially in the South Island, during the 26th-27th. As far as monthly totals are concerned, the rain of the latter end caused February to lose much of its droughty character. Though the first three weeks were almost everywhere very dry, moderate to heavy falls were experienced generally during the last week, and scattered places, especially in the North Island, received more than the average. The deficiencies were most serious in the Taranaki and Nelson Provinces and in parts of Manawatu. On the west coast of the South Island from Greymouth southwards most places appear to have had more than the normal February fall. - As regards pressure, the most prominent feature of the first ten days was one which the month had inherited from Januarynamely, the persistence of high pressure over the northern portions of the North Island. Two tropical cyclones were experienced in the Pacific islands to the north-east towards the end of January. Subsequent to their passage the pressure rose in that region, and one of the conditions adverse to rain in New Zealand appeared to have been removed. Low barometers were, however, still the rule over Australia, where very heavy rains occurred. It was not until after anticyclonic conditions had been fully established, on the 23rd, in Australia that the wet period commenced in New Zealand, the low pressure area now shifting to the Dominion. The rapid movement of pressure systems which has been commented on in these notes for months past was no less pronounced during February. A depression would cross the South Island within about thirty-six hours of passing Hobart. Such depressions as affected the Dominion were mainly shallow waves. Those recorded reached us on the 2nd, sth, 9th, 10th, 13th, 17th, 18th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, and 28th, the number being unusually large for a single month. That of the 21st was the only one which was deep on its arrival over New Zealand, but' pressure was low over and to the east of the North Island from the 25th to the 28th. Anticyclones were, as a rule, rather poorly developed during the month. Centres passed on the 4th, Bth, 12th, 15th, 22nd, and 24th. Of these, that of the 15th was the most intense, the pressure reaching 30-5 in. in some places. It has been noticed that the break of a drought, as happened on this occasion, is frequently preceded by the development of an intense anticyclone.

Winds were light on -the whole, but strong southerlies prevailed, more especially from Cook Strait northwards,, on the 27th and 28th. Gales were reported from many parts of the North Island. Temperatures -were generally above normal. In parts of the North Island a frost occurred on the morning of the 29th in the clear weather following the cold southerly winds.

No. Station. Total Fall. Number of Wet Days. Maximum Fall. . Average February Rainfall. North Island.. Inches. Inches. Inches. I Kaitaia . . 2-28 ■ 5 1-52 2-95 -2 Russell . . 1-52 6 0-96 3’20 3 Whangarei 3-18 6 2-90 4-46 4 Auckland . . i-6i . 5 0-79 3-06 5 Hamilton . . . . 4’30 • • 7 2-12 2-96 6 Kawhia . . ■ 3’74 7 1-62 2-66 7 New Plymouth 1-42 6 0-63 4-00 8 Riversdale, Inglewood 3'37 6 . 1-52 6-30 9 Whangamomona . . , 2-05 5 1-07 4-23 IO Eltham . . 2-23 6 o-86 3-37 II Tairua . . 7-36 4 . 4-16 4-10 12 Tauranga 3’21 18 i-97 3-58 13 Maraehako Station, Opotiki 2-64 6 i-44 3-48 14 Gisborne 2-38 11 1-40 3-63 15 Taupo . . .. .. 1-98 5 0-70 2-82 16 Napier . . 3-10 9 i \31 2-92 17 Maraekakaho Stn., Hastings 1-89 9 ' 0-64 2-52 18 Taihape . . . . . - 2-54 7 1-03 2-52 19 Masterton 2-05 8 0-84 2-70 20 Patea . . . . 3'86 7 I-3I 2-51 21 ' Wanganui 2-93 6 o-95 2-52 22 Foxton . . 1-02 4 . 0-44 2-06 23 . Wellington . 3-58 7 ' 1-58 3-07 South Island. 24 Westport i-95 11 0-40 4’37 25 Greymouth . . . . 5’99 13 i-34 5’99 26 Hokitika 7-18 11 3-09 7-3i. 27 Ross . . . . ' 11-06 9 5'73 8’45 28 Arthur’s Pass . . ■ .. 6-64 10 1-25 10-17 29 Okuru, Westland . . 6-82 7 1-32 7-92 30 Collingwood i-37 6 • 0-58 5-63 31 Nelson .. . . 1-56 5 0-92 2’77 32 Spring Creek, Blenheim i-73 4 1-20 2-25 33 Tophouse 2-72 9 o-45 4’39 34 Hanmer Springs ... 3-61 12 o-94 3-04 35 Highfield, Waiau . . 2-96 9 • 1-00 2-54 ■36 Gore Bay 4-19 11 1-52 2-93 37 Christchurch o-94 7 °-37 1-77 38 Tima.ru .. ... 1-06 11 ' 0-30 1-82 39 Lambrook Station, Fairlie .. 1-52 7 0-44 1-89 40 Benmore Station, Clearburn 1-05 5 0-51 1-36 4i Oamaru .. .. i-35 5 0-52 i-68 42 Queenstown .. ■ 1-87 8 i-ii 1-98 43 Clyde .. 1-48 6 o-74 o-99 44 Dunedin 2-59 9 1-31 2-69 45 Wendon 2-58 ■ 7 1-00 2-03 46 Gore 2-08 11 0-78 2-65 47 Invercargill 1-85 16 o-47 2-85 48 Puysegur Point .. 7’54 16 i-3i 4-96 49 Half-moon Bay, StewarHIs. i-79 10 0-63 4-13

RAINFALL FOR FEBRUARY, 1928, AT REPRESENTATIVE STATIONS.