DRIER THAN USUAL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20091, 10 November 1939, Page 2

DRIER THAN USUAL

OCTOBER WEATHER

GRASS GROWTH FAVORED

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The following notes on the weather of October, 1939, have been supplied by the Dominion Meteorologist:

“On the whole October has been a pleasant and sunny month. It has been rather cool, however, especially at night, and much drier than usual, but fortunately with an absence of drying winds, Conditions have favoured grass growth, but pastures are still rather backward. The lambing season has been satisfactory and the weather, except for the gale at the end of the month, has enabled a good start to be made with shearing. Cattle are healthy, with an increasing milk yield, which has not yet reached the rate of production of last year. Crops and cultivation are well ahead, and orchards are making good progress.

“The earlier part of the month was very dry, particularly in the south, but afterwards most districts had beneficial falls. Except in some northern and eastern areas of the Auckland province, rainfall totals have been below average and indeed below 50 per cent of the average over almost half the country. The rains have barely sufficed for present requirements, so that there is a need in most farming districts for early warm rains.

Temperatures and Sunshine

“On the average, mean temperatures have been about a degree below the normal for October. The greatest departures have occurred in eastern districts, where sea breezes have helped to keep the temperatures down. Nights have been cool generally and frosts have been fairly frequent, some of the sharpest following the cold south-westerly at the close of the month. The hail accompanying this wind was severest in Hawke's Bay, where, however, the damage to fruit crops was fairly localised.

"Sunshine averages were well exceeded in Otngo, Southland, and in most western districts, while some slight deficits were recorded at several stations on the east coast.

“A severe thunderstorm, accompanied by heavy rain and hail, affected the Hawke's Bay province on October 12. Fortunately, the worst hail showers did not extend to a very wide area of orchards. On the same day a small tornado was reported at Thornton, near Whakatane.”