THE WEATHER

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 659, 11 October 1933, Page 6

THE WEATHER

a spring month BEST SEASON IHAT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED FOR MANY YEARS. GOOD LAMBING CONDITIONS. The following report upon the weather for the last month has been released by the Government meteorologist, Dr. Kidson: — General. — Another very good spring month was experienced in September. Reports generally indicate that the season so far has been the best for many years. Feed is rather scarce in eastern parts df the South Island and parts of the Gisborne district, but the shortage is not acute and elsewhere there has been ample growth. Mild temperatures and an absence of strong winds have been important factors contributing to these favourable conditions. Stock are doing very well. It has been an excellent lambing season, and in parts of the North Island the dairy yields have been the highest hitherto recorded till this time of year. Crops, also, are making a igood start and the spring has been an early one for vegetation. Nevertheless, the total rainfall was below the average in most districts to a serious degree. The subsoil, especially in the South Island, is dry, •and heavy rains will be needed during the coming months if the present highly satisifactory condition is to be maintained. Rainfall. — Rainfall was above normal from Auckland northwards, in the Wanganui and Manawatu districts, and in the extreme south. Elsewhere, however, not more than half' the average was recorded. For much the greater part of the country, the accumulated deficit since the beginning of the year is assuming large proportions. Temperature. — The month was, on the whole, a mild one, with few frosts. In eastern districts and the Bay of Plenty the mean temperatures were rather below average at many places, but in the interior and western districts the reverse was distinctly the case. During the last week or so .there was a prevalence of cold south'erly winds, the growth of vegetation was retarded, especially in the North Island. A frost on the 27th did some damage in the Bay of Plenty area. Sunshine. — Sunshine appears to have been above normal almost everywhere. Of the records to hand, Napier's is the only one in which such is .not the case. At Lake Tekapo a total of 227.5 hours was experienced. Storm Systems. — There were few' storms of much consequence during the month. The first was due to a depression of the westerly type which passed between the 2nd and the 4th'. Widespread rains were caused but in general they were not heavy. On the 7th a rather complex depression advanced across the Tasman Sea. A cyclone centre developed in the northern portion of this, and passing just north of New Zealand on the 10th, was followed by a secondary on the 11th. During this period, strong north-easterly winds were experienced. In the Auckland . Province, es- ' pecially, strong gales occurred at many places. A considerable amount of damage was done and shipping was delayed. The rain was confined principally to northern and north-eastern districts during the north-easterly blow, but before the whole storm system had passed on the 13th it had been almost general. Some flooding j occurred in North Auckland and in •the Thames and Waihou Rivers. The most general rains, however, were were associated with a series of westerly depressions which passed between the 18th and 21st. On the 19th and 20th there were northerly gales, partiicularly about the Cook Strait area.. Many places recorded heavy rain, especially on the night of the 20th and the morning of the 21st. There were light falls of snow on the ranges on the 12th and 21st and in parts of the S-outh Island also on the 24th. From the 22nd onwards there was lxttle storm activity, but cold southerly winds prevailed owing to disturbed conditions to the east of New Zealand.