WEATHER RECORDS: JANUARY, 1929.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 2, 20 February 1929, Page 143

WEATHER RECORDS: JANUARY, 1929.

Dominion Meteorological Office

GENERAL NOTES.

January was a month of contrasts, a hot spell in the third week being followed by a cold snap of almost wintry severity. Rainfall was considerably below average in the North Island and the western districts of the South Island, but in Canterbury and Otago an excess was generally recorded. Once more there was an unusual frequency of thunderstorms, many of which were severe. In some cases these storms were accompanied by downpours resembling miniature cloudbursts. Some remarkable hailstorms also occurred, considerable damage being done in a number of instances.

The ■ storm systems were mainly centred far south, and of only moderate intensity. In consequence, the prevailing weather was of the westerly type, and the storms affected principally the South Island. . High-pressure centres continued to follow unusually far-northward tracks for the season of the year, but were seldom of any great intensity.

The deficiency of rainfall, following on the heavy rains of December, was not enough in the North Island to affect pastures adversely, and feed is everywhere abundant. The rankness of the growth has in places adversely affected the raising of fat lambs, but stock is on the whole in good condition. The hot, dry weather preceding the 20th was a boon to harvesters and haymakers, and satisfactory results are generally reported. Some crops have been flattened by wind, hail, or rain, but fungus diseases have made much less headway than was feared.

A very severe hailstorm, in which stones up to 2 in. in diameter were seen to fall, visited Otago on the 7th during the passage of a low-pressure wave. A number of crops were totally destroyed and other damage was done. On the Sth a deep depression was centred south of Tasmania, the Hobart barometer reading 28-96 in. North-westerly gales were experienced in and south of Cook Strait on this day and the next. On the 10th a terrific thunderstorm, accompanied by , torrential rain, occurred near the Hermitage, some miles of road being washed out.

The week ending on the 19th was very hot, many places in the South Island recording over 90 ’ F. In the North, though temperatures were not so high, the great humidity rendered conditions no less oppressive. Hawke’s Bay, however, appears to have escaped much of the severity of this heat wave. ' ' .

The hot spell was followed by a period of southerly winds, which gradually increased in force and brought lower and lower temperatures. An anticyclone was centred over the Tasman Sea, while pressure fell very low to the eastward. On the afternoon of the 23rd Chatham Islands reported a barometer reading of 28-78 in. The southerly winds began to reach gale force in places on the 22nd, but did not attain their full strength until the night of the 24th and the morning of the 25th. Most districts then experienced gales, but from Cook Strait southwards on the east coast they were exceptionally severe. The high winds, accompanied by high tides and a heavy swell, caused unusually rough conditions. Shipping was delayed and some vessels reported damage. Some of the eastern suburbs of Christchurch were flooded, and the Wellington to Petone railway was again undermined in places. Snow fell on the high country on the 23rd and 24th, and severe hailstorms were remarkably widespread. By the 25th the weather was extremely cold, some stations even recording frost. From the 26th conditions gradually returned to normal.

The month has been remarkable for disturbed conditions in the tropics. In the interior and north of Australia pressures were most unusually low, monsoonal conditions being strongly developed. Between the 18th and the 23rd the low-pressure conditions extended across the Pacific to beyond Samoa. At least two cyclonic centres developed—one near the New Hebrides which ultimately passed close to Suva, where the barometer fell to below 28 in.,

and the other near Samoa. It is probable that there were two separate centres in the latter. Fortunately, the damage done was not severe. Edward Kidson, Director of Meteorological Services, Wellington, 7 th February, 1929.

No. Section. Total Fall. Number of Wet Days. Maximum . Fall. | Average January Rainfall. North Island. - Inches. Inches. Inches. I Kaitaia . . . . 1-52 7 0-40 3-36 2 Russell . . 0’43 5 0-18 4 II 3 Whangarei . . . . ' 1-63 9 o-45 4-08 4 Auckland .. 1-38 1 11 0-69 2-66 5 Hamilton . . .. T ’53 II ' 0-42 3'94 6 Kawhia, . . 2-10 10 0-50 3’52 7 New Plymouth 1-64 11 o-39 ' 4’42 8 Riversdale, Inglewood 2-69 12 o-99 7’43 9 Whangamomona . . 2-47 ' 5 o-79 6-05 IO Eltham . . . . i-6o 10 o-55 3’92 ii Tairua . . 0-82 8 0-24 4’35 12 Tauranga • . . 1-18 IO 0-29 4'34 *3 Maraehako Station, Opotiki 0-96 6 0-46 4’29 T 4 Gisborne . . . . 2-82 8 1-70 2-97 *5 Taupo 0'95 6 - 0’31 3'71 16 Napier . . ... 0-85 8 o-57 3-18 T 7 Maraekakaho Stn., Hastings 1-62 16 o-86 2-29 18 Taihape 438 15 1-09 3-28 19 Masterton 2-48 9 o-8o 2-69 20 Patea. . . • 1-28 ■ 8 o-34 ■3-79 21 Wanganui 1-78 6 0-67 2-87 22 Foxton .. 1-65 7 0-96 2-3° 2 3 Wellington (Karori) 2-64 T 5 o-88 3’31 ■ ’ South Island. 24 Westport 4-00 18 0-70 6-8o 25 Greymouth 6-84 18 1-02 9"°3 26 Hokitika 9-06 ■ 18 1-78 9-87 27 Ross 13-08 . II 3’28 12-04 28 Arthur’s Pass 20-05 15 8-96 9-36 29 Okuru, Westland . . * io’8o 14 1’90 12-86 30 Collingwood ' . . 4-52 12 . 1-70 ’ 6-95 . 3 1 Nelson . . I-OI 6 0-36 2-82 32 Spring Creek, Blenheim i-77 10 o-55 . 2-22 33 Tophouse . . ... 4’75 13 1-25 5-14 34 Hanmer Springs . . . . 3'43 13 o-99 ■ 3-74 35 Highfield, Waiam . . 3’92 10 I-IO 2-95 36 Gore Bay . . • . . . 2-65 II i-ii 2-71 37 Christchurch . . 4-°7 II 1-47 2-21 38 Timaru . . . . ' .. i-34 13 0-24 2-30 39 Lambrook Station, Fairlie . . 0-92 . II 0-20 2-38 40 Benmore Station, Clearburn 3'44 12 1-48 . 2-77 4i Oamaru 2-30 15 o-44 2-II 42 Queenstown 4’37 13 1-22 2-72 43 Clyde . . ■ . . . . 1-82 9 0-69 1-72 44 Dunedin.. 4-41 17 0-64 . 3-36 45 Wendon 4’97 12 1-40 3’22 46 Gore . . . . 4-07 - 16 ' 1-00 3-°9 47 Invercargill ■ 5-52 .21. I‘3° 4-01 48' Puysegur Point . . 8-34 20 7 1-62 • 7'22 49 Half-moon Bay, Stewart Is. 5'74 ' 21 i-i5 ■ 4-68

RAINFALL FOR JANUARY, 1929, AT REPRESENTATIVE STATIONS.