EXCEPTIONALLY DRY MONTH

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 110, 7 February 1928, Page 8

EXCEPTIONALLY DRY MONTH

WEATHER SUMMARY FOR DOMINION EFFECT OF DEFICIENCY OF RAINFALL “The past month has been notable for the exceptionally dry conditions experienced over the whole of the Dominion,” stated the Director of the Meteorological Office (Dr. E. Kidson) yesterday, in a summary of the weather for .January. “The deficiency of rainfall is most serious in districts with a westerly aspect, following, as it does, on a dry December. “No vigorous low-pressure disturbance affected any part of the New Zealand region during the course of the month. On several occasions storms developed in Australia, which would normally have brought general rains to this country. In each instance, however, although some slight effect was felt, the pressure changes were reduced to shallow waves by the time the disturbance crossed the Dominion. The most important of these waves passed on January 1 and 2 and January 26 respectively Each produced moderate rains in parts of the West Coast districts, with scattered showers elsewhere. Anti-cyclonic Conditions. “The dominant feature of the pressure distribution has been the persistence of high pressure, especially in the north. Anti-cyclones were actually centfed over or near New Zealand . 011 the Ist, 2nd, 4th, 6th, Bth, 12th, 14th, 23rd, 29th, and 31st respectively. The dry, warm, sunny and droughty weather experienced was the direct consequence of these anti cyclonic conditions. The mean pressure was, the highest recorded for January at Wellington. “On the whole, there has been a relative absence of wind, but between January 16 and 19, while a rather intense anti-cyclone lay across the South Island, strong easteily winds blew over the North Island, frequently reaching gale force in the far north, and causing showery weather in the Auckland Peninsula. Driest Month on Record. “The month has been the driest January on record in southern Auckland, Taranaki, and parts of the Manawatu, Nelson, and Marlborough districts. At the end of the month, owing to the previous plentiful growth of feed, the effects of the drought had not, in general, been severely felt. In large parts of the North Island, however, especially in the central and western portions, milk returns had fallen off considerably. Elsewhere, although pastures were becoming parched, compensations were provided in the satisfactory maturing ol grain and fruit crops," and the season has been a good one. Should rain not fall by the middle of February, however, many districts will suffer severely.”