WEATHER FORECASTS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1930, Page 3

WEATHER FORECASTS

WORK 0 A GO FERN ML-NT BUREAU' INESTIMABLE SERvTCE. Revelations of 1 the wide and diverse activities of the modern weather; bur- « ah—activities which were little’ known to Lhe man in the street—-w«jre eonained in an address given by Dr E. .idson, Director of Aleteoriogical Services, to the New Zealand Technical 'ehool Teachers’ Association.

Forecasting was originally undertaken'for the benefit of shipping, and its success in this direction was evidenced by the increasing co-operation between ■ '’urological offices and masters of ■vessels at, sea, said Dr Hudson. It was in aviation, however, that forecasting was of overwhelming importance. , ■ Europe and America, mail and •passenger services were served hourly with wireless reports and forecasts whiAi were even more important for airships than for hoavier-than-air-ma-chines. Another service of real worth was j that undertaken in connection with farmers. Harvesting, spraying, and 'flier matters depended oil the weather considerably, and special arrangements "•ad been made last season to stinplv the necessary information to the people on the land. "Bi?t before we can do satisfactory forecasting,” continued Dr lvidson ‘‘wo must have accurate records from our j stations. There are forty clomatological. station in New Zealand, and four hundred rainfall .stations. From the reports j ui-nished by these, and by co-operation ~ : tb other soures of information, we ’re enabled to make the necessary ,-hurts, and supply satisfactory 'forepasts. The more numerous the stations the better will be the resultant service, ’’here has been rather a lack of interest jn meteorological matters among the; Imiblic, and rather a disregard of their* importance. People are now becoming more alive to it, however, and in other countries, especially in Germany and 'f-'udinavia, the subject is taught in . schools.”

EXTENDING KNOWLEDGE

Dr Kidson discussed temperature and pressure, tue peculiarities and anoinal-: ies of their measurement instruments or.’both quantities. The yield of the soii jJficiency of manures and fertilisers, annua] growth, orchardists’ problems, chemical processes and other matters—ill these were affected to a more or less extent by; factors which were in the meteorologists’ domain, he said. Drainage and flood conditions were anticipated by' engineers,’ who asked the weather bureau for particular information with regard to particular regions. In

■ddition to the work which these and similar spheres of activity entailed for the meteorological office, special questions and demands for information of a -widely diverse nature were included : n the office’s annual programme. It was expected, also, to make some contribution to the science, and in New Zealand research on sub-Antarctic and Antarctic conditions had been undertaken.

Fine lantern slides and descriptions of various cloud forms, including some remarkable specimens of New Zealand clouds were shown by Dr Kidson in conclusion, and he was accorded a ' cartv vote df thanks by the delegates.