RAINFALL FOR AUGUST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 40

RAINFALL FOR AUGUST.

AVERAGE EXCEEDED. WELLINGTON, Septembers The total rainfall for August from a number of representative stations over the Dominion, has been coded and telegraphed to the, Meteorologist's office in Wellington, where the director has compared the results with the moans for the same stations in previous years. It is found that the total rainfall was in excess of the usual in all parts of the Dominion, excepting on the east coast of the North Island, between East Caps and Castlepoint, where it was somewhat below the mean. The North Island in, general had an excessive rainfall, and when the whole returns are in Mr ■ Bates thinks the results will show about 75 per cent, greater than the mean for the month of August. The South Island, taken as a whole, had about 30 per cent, more than usuaJ, but in the southern districts the • rainfall was over double the mean for the month. August is reckoned to be the last month of winter in New Zealand, and' in both winter and spring the North Island has usually a greater rainfall than the South. The first week of the month was the most stormy. A cyclonical disturbance in the north was immedately followed by a westerly depression over the south. High pressure followed until the 13th, when the barometer at the Bluff fell an inch in 30 hours, and strong westerly winds followed. Excepting for a small, but sharp, disturbance on the 21st, the remainder of a big storm from Australia, the weather was under anti-cyclonic conditions, wiih fine days and frosty nights, but towards the close of the month the weather became very unsettled, first in the north and afterwards in the south. In the North Island th? greatest i*ainfaJl was at Waihi — 16.58 in on 27 days. Auckland had 7.13 in on 22 days ; New Plymouth. 6.98 in on 23 day* ; Wanganui, 7.32 in on 29 days ; and Wellington 5.46 in on 19 days. Hokitika had the greatest fall in the Soutn Island — 12.26 in on 19 days. Blenheim had 4.81 in on 15 days : Christ church . 2.40 in on 11 days; and Dunedin 3.92 in on 8 days.