DECEMBER WEATHER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 257, 13 January 1941, Page 5

DECEMBER WEATHER

The Dominion Meteorologist has released the following notes on the weather for December,, 1940. General Notes: December was.warm, dry and sunny with conditions ideal for shearing and haymaking. Most cereal and fodder crops have been grow ing rapidly as also the linen flax and, in the Auckland Province, the paspalum grass. Fruit is ripening very well, although the crops in some cases are not heavy. There is still plenty of grass, and dairy production continues at a high level, while- pastures which are now drying are most favourable for fat lambs. Rainfall: Rainfall was Well below average in most places freby deficits of 50 per cent. /*jf* more. The average was reached, however, in South Westland and exceeded in parts of central Hawke's Bay and in a region embracing Taupo, Rotorua and Tauranga. Those North Island excesses w r ere due to the torrential rains during the 14th, for which day Katikati recorded 9.10 inches. Temperatures: Mean temperatures were everywhere above normal. The cold changes were of very brief duration, and towards the end of "the month there were severaf particularly hot days, especially in Southland. f . Sunshine: Apart from Tarannki and Westland; where sunshine was slightly under average, it was in excess, with substantial surplusees occurring in the South Island.