A STORMY MONTH

Hokitika Guardian, 8 January 1930, Page 3

A STORMY MONTH

DECEMBER WEATHER. MKTEOIbOL 1 GIST’S REVIEW. (By Telegraph—Per Press AssociationA WELLINGTON, Jan. 7. The following notes on the weather for the month of December, 1929. have been supplied by the Director of thp Meteorological Department, Dr Kidson December was a wet, stormy mouth... Although the eastern districts experienced some hot, sultry days, these was less than the average amount of sunshjne, and the temperatures were considerably below normal. The only considerable areas where rainfall was below the December average were tho northern half of Auckland Peninsula, and in the eastern portion of the North Island from Hawke’s Bay to East Cape. Over all of the western districts and the high country of the interior, the precipitation was heavily in excess of normal. Most of the stormy w.eatiier was associated with the passage of cyclone centres across the South Island. Gales from between north and west were experienced to the north of the centres, while to the south of them easterly or south-east-erly winds prevailed. It was tnesc latter. which accounted, to a large extent, for the high rainfalls in Canterbury and Otago. Thunderstorms have been rather frequent, and in many cases severe. A proportion were accompanied bv showers of hail. A, considerable amount of fog was reported from both the northern and southern extremities of the Dominion.

Although rather late for some crops especially oats, the rains were of very great benefit to the fanners in Canterbury and Otago. The. prospects, especially for wheat and root crons, have improved very much, and feed i« plentiful. The abnormal number of wet days and the heavy rain proved adverse to haymaking over a large part of the country and shearing has been retarded. The weather lias been too humid, also, for the fodder to he in its most nourishing condition, hut. on the whole, the stock and crops are in a satisfactory state and the season is a good one. A spell of fine and dry weather would not be advantageous.

As indicated above, the unusual frequency of cyclonic depressions, which has characterised the past two years, was fully maintained in December. Their movement was very rapid, and this was, on the whole,fortunate, since, although there were numbers of cases of rivers reaching, the flood stage, they usually receded just when serious floods appeared to he imminent, and the actual damage was slight. The first of the cyclones referred to crossed the south western extremity of the Dominion on the evening of December 4th to sth, and caused boisterous weather. The rain was widespread, with many heavy falls, especially from Taranaki and Wellington southwards. On the sth there wore many thunderstorms, and at Edondale, in Southland, damage was done hv n sever" hailstorm. From the 6th to the 9th weather of the .westerly type prevailed,. Squally winds blew from some westerly quarters, frequently reaching gale force, and the western districts especially exjierieneed. showery weather. On the 6th a tornado, moving from, tho sea, visited Greymouth. Houses were unroofed and much other damage done in Cow per Street and Blaketown. A whirling column of vapour and debris was very clearly seen.

The finest spell of weather during the month followed the westerly weather, and persisted till the 15tli. During this period, a severe tropical cyclone developed in the . Fiji group, and moved slowly away. On the night of the lltli and morning of the 12th a heavy fog in Cook Strait caused delays to shipping. On the 17tli tlie second cyclone crossed Southern Otago and almost general rain accompanied its passage. Thunderstorms were a marked feature of this cyclone .during, the whole time that it, was moving over the Tasman gea and New Zealand. Accompanying “atmospherics” were particularly frequent and violent, and wireless communication with shipping .was at times greatly interfered with.

. On the 16th a cloudburst at Norris Hill, six miles from Wesuport, raised a flood in the Waimea Creek, and several bridges were damaged. Another cloudburst was reported from Pukemiro in the Thames Valley on the 18th. A third cyclone traversed the Dominion on the 22nd, the centre this time crossing South Canterbury. The precipitation was again general, and southerly winds in the rear of the depression brought particularly heavy rain to the eastern districts of the South Island. Had the cyclono not moved away so quickly, severe flooding would have been inevitable. As it was, the Leith stream again threatened to. inundate Dunedin, and parts of Christchurch were under water.

At Kaikoura, a phenomenal fall of ft. inches in 65 minutes was registered. Thunder and hail storms were very violent and widespread. In connection with this storm, especially on the 2nd wireless operators again -experienced trouble firom “.atmospherics.”

The last of the month’s cyclones:— Boisterous weather and almost geueial moved over Southern Otago on the