MILD SPRING MONTH

Evening Star, Issue 23700, 7 October 1940, Page 4

MILD SPRING MONTH

SEPTEMBER WEATHER [Pek United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, October 7. September was a mild spring month, with considerable cloud and frequent scattered falls of rain, while once again there was an absence of sustained windy weather. Warm soil and grass temperatures, assisted by favourable atmospheric conditions, have produced an early season as evidenced by the prolific blooms on shrubs and bright displays of spring flowers. Lambing was above average, and very few losses attributable to wet weather have been reported. The main dairying districts are in an excellent state, but while there is a general abundance of feed in some areas the pastures are in need of more sunshine. Apart from cases of milk fever in tho North Island, stock generally is in excellent condition. The rainfall totals exceeded normal in eastern districts from Napier southwards to about Oamaru, percentage excesses being appreciably larger in tho Canterbury province, where a number of stations had over double their usual fall chiefly as tho result of continuous rain on the sth and 6th. A small area, around New Plymouth had a slight surplus, but over practically the whole of the remainder of the country the totals showed deficits. These were, on the whole, most marked over the Auckland province, where falls between 50 and 70 .per cent, of the average were common. Some isolated thunderstorms occurred in the North Island during the first half of the month. Mean temperatures were with few exceptions above normal, the departures ranging for the most part between 0 and 2 deg. There were few hard frosts, and although on several occasions snow fell on the ranges, no significant fall was experienced on the lower levels. It was a poor month for sunshine in Hawke’s Bay and tho South Island, but especially so in Canterbury. On the other hand, the Auckland province enjoyed a surplus, the city averaging seven hours a day. 1 WEATHER SEQUENCE. Conditions were slightly disturbed over tho New Zealand region during the first two days, but the main depression travelled northwards on the 3rd and 4th, l accompanied by cold southerly winds and showers. The weather cleared in the south as pressure rose rapidly, an anti-cyclone building up to the east of the. South Island, while a secondary depression formed to the west of the North Island. Northcasterlv winds predominated, until the 7th, there being dull and unsettled weather in central and eastern districts, and after two days’ steady rain rivers were running very high in Canterbury. The pressure systems began to move eastward on the Bth, and with the advance of a low-pressure trough on to southern New Zealand, north-west-erly winds freshened and scattered rain set in in the west. Between the 9th and tho 12th a southerly change traversed the Dominion, and although the rain was of tho scattered type, some falls were substantial, especially about the Wellington province. Conditions improved from the south on the 12tli, and fine anti-cyclone weather prevailed a further two days, hut the high-pres-sure centre shifted north-eastward and weakened, while a rapidly-moving depression to the south brought southerlies once more. Moderate rainfalls were experienced in many parts of the country, some snow falling on the hills. A secondary disturbance developing near Taranaki on the loth caused an increase in the southerly winds in central districts. On the 16th a belt of high pressure was advancing on to the north-west Tasman Sea, on the 22nd it crossed northern New Zealand, and by the end of the month the anticyclone centre was not far distant to the north-east. Hence, during this period, there was a predominance of winds from the westerly quarter, with directions turning temporarily south of west after the passage of troughs which arrived in tho far south on the 19th, 23rd, and late on the 27th. There was little rain, the weather being mainly fair to cloudy, but the last of these disturbances was connected with vigorous depressions centred near Chatham and Lord Howe Islands. It produced heavy rain in the northern portion of tho South Island, and by the close of the month general rain was sotting in over the North Island.