WEATHER FOR SEPTEMBER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24424, 9 October 1940, Page 3

WEATHER FOR SEPTEMBER

METEOROLOGISTS REPORT The following is the report of the Dominion meteorologist on the weather for the month of September:— General Notes 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 the North Island, stock generally is in excellent condition. ' , Rainfall The rainfall totals exceeded normal in eastern districts from Napier. southwards to about Oamaru, percentage excesses being appreciably larger in the Canterbury province, where a number, of stations had over double their usual fall, chiefly as a 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 SO per cent, and 70 per cent, of the average were common. Some isolated thunderstorms occurred in the North Island during the first half of the month. Temperatures Mean temperatures were, with few exceptions, above normal, the departures ranging for the mast part between Odeg. and 2deg. There were few hard frosts, and although on several occasions snow fell on the ranges, no significant fall- was experienced on the lower levels. Sunshine \ J '. t It was a poor month for sunshine in Hawke’s Bay and the South Island, but especially so In Canterbury. On the other hand, the Auckland province enjoyed a surplus, Hic city averaging seven hours per day,. Weather Sequence Conditions were slightly disturbed over the New Zealand region during the, first two days, blit the main depression travelled northwards on the 3rd and 4th, accompanied by cold southerly winds and showers. The weather cleared in the south as pressure rose rapidly, an anticyclone building up to the east of the South Island, while ,a secondary depression formed to the west of the North Island. North-easterly 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-westerly winds freshened and scattered rain" set in in the vest. Between the 9th and the 12th a southerly change traversed the Dominion, and although the rain was of the scattered type some fails were substantial. especially about the Wellington province. Conditions improved from the south on the 12th, and fine anti-cyclonic weather prevailed a further two days, but the high pressure centre shifted, northeastward and weakened, while a rapidlymoving 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 15th caused an increase in the southerly winds in central districts. On the 16th a belt of high pressure was advancing on to the northwest Tasman Sea. On the 22nd it crossed northern New Zealand, and by the end of the month the anti-cyclone 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 the far south on the 19th, 23rd, and late on the 27th. There was comparatively 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 the South Island, and by the close of the month general rain was setting in over the North Island.