FEBRUARY WEATHER

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 131, 2 March 1928, Page 8

FEBRUARY WEATHER

A REMARKABLE MONTH RAINFALL ABOVE AVERAGE

February was a remarkable month from the ‘Meteorological pOu,. of view. It opened with the Dominion experiencing one of the longest dry spells known for manv vears, but n ended with a total rainfall well above the average. After the first week the prospects of rain improved, and on February 21 conditions became definitely favourable and rain fell in many parts of both islands. General heavy rains fell on February 23-21, and 26-27, completely ending the dry spell. With the rain there came a considerable fall in the temperature, this being vetv marked on February 26, owing to heavy falls of snow in the mountainous regions of the South Island. lhe mean temperature for the month was 63.7 degrees, which is 1.2 degrees above the February average. The mean maximum temperature was 71.1 degrees, which is above normal, and the mean minimum was 56.4 degrees. The total rainfall for the month recorded at Kelburn was 358 points, which, with the 19 points recorded during January, brings the total for the year to February 29 up to 377 points, compared with a total of 250 points for the corresponding period of last year (January 68 points, February 182 points). The total amount of bright sunshine recorded during February was 189 hours, compared with 230 hours 53 minutes during February, 1927, a mean for 17 years’of 207 hours 51 minutes, and 311 hours during January, 1928.