JULY WEATHER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 299, 6 September 1918, Page 8

JULY WEATHER

A . MONTH OP STORMS,

The Government Meteorologist's summary of weather conditions for July states that tho month proved one of the coldest and stormiest winter months ekperionfled for many years. Rainfall, however, was not excessive, totals above the average only being recorded north of Auckland,- and'in .the AYanganni, North Canterbury, and Otago districts. ' . Atmospheric disturbances were so numerous that hardly a day passed without ojie'cither enveloping or being wjtllin effective distance of the Dominion. On the Ist of the month the shallow depression, Mentioned in tho June summary, was still in evidence, and fur.ther'heavy.- snowfall occurred in .North Canterbury. , ,

: The most severe storm was one which ruled between the loth and 24th, and which caused a. widespread- srfowfall between the 19tli and 22nd. Very stormy weather, with south-west gales, was experienced generally about this time, and snow was recorded at many planes in the North Island where it had not occurred since August, 1904.

A comparison of these two storms brings out some interesting facts. The one on the Ist was a shallow cyclone accounting for a heavy loc.il snowstorm in, Xor'tf' Canterbury, with south-east winds. The latter was an intense westerly area of lo\V pressure which-ap-parently remained stationary for several days, witf' its central area in +he vieinitv of Olmthem f Islands. The winds were distinctly south-west, '.""d t-lw snowfall was more freneral. Tbi stormiest weather is. experienced with an intense and. extensive depression, hut, «s in this instance. 1 small, shallow disturbance, invariably proves, the too™ dangerous when its efFects aro confined to a comparatively small area.