WEATHER RECORDS: OCTOBER, 1931.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 43, Issue 5, 20 November 1931, Page 382

WEATHER RECORDS: OCTOBER, 1931.

Dominion Meteorological Office

In marked contrast to the cold wintry type of weather of the preceding period, October, for the most part, proved a very pleasant spring month, notable features of which were the predominance of northerly winds, warm temperatures, and fairly abundant sunshine.

For the past two years the mean monthly temperatures have been almost consistently below normal, while last year’s was one of the coldest Octobers experienced since records have been kept. During the present October, however, most districts recorded above normal temperatures. The coldest day generally was the 24th, when a bitter southerly blew, accompanied by hail and snow showers in many parts of the South Island and in the central and high country of the North Island. During the night a damaging frost occurred in some districts, this being the only occasion on which a severe frost was registered.

Rainfall. — Practically the whole of the Dominion had less than the normal rainfall, the deficiency being greatest in the North Island and most pronounced in Hawke’s Bay Province. Central Hawke’s Bay experienced extremely dry weather, and a good soaking rain would be especially welcome in that area.

Pressure Systems.—Anticyclones were frequent during the month, and, although their centres, as is usual at this season, moved rather far north, they were responsible for generally .fine weather from the 3rd to the 4th, the 14th to the 19th, and from the 26th to the 31st.

Depressions were mainly cyclonic in form, but they were not frequent, and were usually of slight extent and intensity. One such passed through Cook. Strait on the night of the Ist and accounted for fairly general rain during the night, while on the 2nd some heavy falls occurred in the neighbourhood of Cook Strait, with a strong southerly wind on the latter date.

On the Bth another depression of a similar type, located north of the Bay of Plenty, was responsible for some heavy rain in the latter district and elsewhere in. Auckland Province. In the afternoon of this day a severe thunderstorm accompanied by heavy hail broke over Auckland City.

Between the 10th and the 13th a series of very intense westerly depressions moved over the Dominion, and strong and squally north-west to west winds prevailed. Rainfall was confined chiefly to districts with a westerly aspect, the eastern provinces at this time experiencing very warm dry conditions. During this period the north-westerly winds were at times particularly violent in the latter districts. A severe gale on the 10th did a considerable amount of damage to plantations on the Canterbury Plains and the electric power service was severely affected, numerous poles being brought down. Torrential rain in the watersheds caused floods in many of the West Coast and Canterbury rivers. A flood in the Waimakariri River was'described as the worst since 1927, its waters inundating some of the low-lying land on the plain. By the 14th the last of this series of depressions had crossed the Dominion and a change to south-westerly winds had set in, although practically no rain accompanied the change in the eastern districts.

On the night of the 19th another intense depression moved on to the Dominion a centre apparently crossing Otago. On the morning of the 20th the latter caused a violent northerly gale in parts of Otago. At Dunedin the gale was the worst experienced for many years, and resulted in extensive damage to buildings, fences, and gardens. The effects of this storm, but to a lesser extent, were also felt in South Canterbury. .

The last storm of the month was brought about by a small but rather intense cyclone which developed off the east coast of the South Island on the afternoon of the 23rd. During the night conditions became rapidly unsettled and, as previously mentioned, a severe cold southerly prevailed on the 24th, with general rain, and in. many places snow and hail showers were experienced. The worst effects of the disturbance, however, were of brief duration.

* Tophouse Post Office, with observing station, closed.

No. Station. Total Fall. N umber of Wet Days. Maximum Fall. Average October Rainfall. North Island: Inches. Inches. Inches. I Kaitaia . . 1 54 II 0’44 5-98 2 Russell . . .. . . i-68 6 0-70 4 44 3 Whangarei 2-56 11 1-05 5-04 4 Auckland 2-15. 13 o-68 3-7 1 ■ . 5 Hamilton . . i-97 9 0-74 4'77 6 Rotorua 4-71 7 2-41 5’4° 7 Kawhia . . .. • 3-14 12 o-88 5’24 8 New Plymouth . . 2-58 15 I • 20 5-62 9 Riversdale, Inglewood 5-89 4 1 • 80 10-54 IO Whangamomona . . 5'47 9 i-93 8-64 ii F.ltham . . .. . . 3-65 14 1-32 5’00 12 Tairua . . . 2-30 8 1 • 08 5’99 13 Tauranga 2-85 ■ 8 1 • 76 5’44 14 Maraehako Station, Opotiki 2-36 8 1-38 5-5i 15 'Gisborne . . 0-27 2 0-25 2’77 16 Taupo . . 2'44 12 • 95 4-46 17 Napier . . 0-64 7 0 • 26 ■ 2-28 18 Hastings i-73 11 1-03 2-32 19 Taihape . . . . i-37 11 0-46 3’86 20 Master ton ... 1 -62 4 1-13 3’3 6 21 Patea 2-77 12 0 • 75 4-29 22 Wanganui i-39 9 o- 60 ■ 3-48 23 Foxton . . i-3° 8 0 • 62 I 3-ii 24 Wellington 2 -So 9 1-51 1 3’4i South Island 25 Westport . . » . . 7’57 16 2- 08 ' • 70 26 Greymouth ... 9'91 19 i-8i 10-32 27 Hokitika 11-20 . 20 3-28 11 -8i 28 Ross . . . . 14-67 14 3’39 14-69 29 Arthur’s Pass 18-09 11 4-20 20-93 30 Okuru 12-20 19 2-67 15-76 3i Collingwood .. . . 4-21 10 1-29 io-68 32 Nelson . . 2-75 6 i-53 3’54 33 Spring Creek, Blenheim 1 • II 7 0-92 2-63 34 Tophouse* .. 35 Hanmer Springs .. 2-48 9 1-09 3-60 36 Highfield, Waiau . . 1-30 5 0-78 2-81 37 Gore Bay 1-46 4 1-05 2-20 38 Christchurch .. i-66 5 o-74 ' I • 70 39 Timaru . . . . . . 1-30 6 °-74 i-95 40 Lambrook Station, Fairlie . . 1 • 84 6 1 -08 .2-03 41 Benmore Station, Clearburn 2 -08 9 1 • 02 2-15 42 Oamaru . . 0-89 6 . o-6i 1-74 43 Queenstown . . . . 3'74 14 1 • 10 . 3’45 44 Clyde -., . . i-54 7 0-64 1-62 ' 45 Dunedin. . ■ .. 1’45 12 o-45 3-16 46 Wendon 1-70 9 0-36 2 • 81 47 Gore . . .. ' 3’28 48 Invercargill 2-24 16 0 ■ 46 4-56 49 Puysegur Point . . .. 7-78 23 1 26 8-13 50 Half-moon Bay .. 4'99 21 o-86 5-37

RAINFALL FOR OCTOBER, 1931, AT REPRESENTATIVE STATIONS.