THE AUSTRALIAN DROUGHTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1123, 10 May 1911, Page 5

THE AUSTRALIAN DROUGHTS.

A METEOROLOGIST'S VIEW. By Telegraph—Press Association—CopyriElit Melbourne, May fl. Mr., Hunt, the Commonwealth Meteorologist, is investigating tho matter of droughts. -He inc.'incs to the opinion that the- breaking o c . severe droughts is preceded by hurricanes.

Mr. Hunt stated last month that the theory of weather cycles is altogether out of the question as a basist for forecasting weather, so far as Australia is concerned, at any rate. He has compiled particulars of the monthly rainfall of Sydney and surroundings covering _ a period of 70 years—from 1840 to 1009 inclusive—with which he illustrates tho argument.' Mr. Hunt goes on to say: "The theory that the rain characteristic of any past season is an indication of what the following will be is also dispelled. For wo find as many instances of dry following wet seasons as of dry or wet following either kind, and we may also note that several excessively dry seasons are sandwiched in between those of.the opposite kind. The most notable instance of this was the year 1888, one of the driest on record, preceded and followed by two of the best the State has ever seen. The most protracted drought: in the climatological history of the Sydney metropolitan districts was that of the twenty consecutive months dating from November, 1848. to June, 1850. inclusive, during which time the shortage of rain amounted to i4.60in., or very little less than a depth of -lit. of water."