THE WEATHER.

Southland Times, Issue 556, 7 September 1866, Page 2

THE WEATHER.

JUNE AND JULY, 1866. For more than three months we have had magnificent weather, only intermingled by the great storms of June 21 and 2S The first waa a magnetic tempest of the usual rotatory character, preceded by a fall of an inch and a tenth in the borometer in less than eighteen hours. The gale was very strong, first N. and then W., with an intervening calm at the vortex of the cyclone, when the borometer rose, and had increased an inch and a quarter by the following night. The general velocity of the gale was 40 to 45 miles an hour ; but in tha squalls after, as great as 60, and onoe or twice oter 70 miles an hour. The pressure varied from 15 to 20 lbs to the square foot. On the seoond occasion, the depression of the barometer was most remarkable ; it was as low as 28.61 inches. The storm was a very severe one ; but was infinitely more violent and destructive in other parts of New Zealand and far out at sea. On the night of the 30th of June the wind blew with a force of 18 lbs. to the square foot ; a very high tide accompanied it. It was also • attended with a great dal of thunder and lightning, and also 6now, sleet and rain.

July was one of the finest months we have ever had ; from the 2nd to the 31st there was only one •unfavorable day ; on that occasion a S.E. breeze was accompanied by 24 hours incessant rain. On the following day the easterly winds (the almost total absence of which, during the last nine months, La.i been the chief peculiarity of the season, and undoubtedly tl*# cause of the unusually bad weather) set in, witb brilliant days and frosty nights ; — no severe frost occurred, the greatest cold was 20.1 deg. In June there was only one sharp frost, in lact, the winter, although colder than that of 1865, has been a very mild md remarkably fine one. A very smart shock of an earthquake occurred on the 9th of June, at 8.43 a.m., and another on the 20th of July, at 10.5 p.m. ; the former was attended with the usual meteorological and electrical phenomena ; the latter had no accompanying peculiarities of weather, excepting the masses of white vapor near the surface of the ground, and the fantastic appearance of the clouds, which appear the invariable companions of an earthquake. The following are the readings of the instrusnents for the months of June and July, and comprative tables of the same month's in eight years. jtute Barometer — Mean pressure (corrected and reduced), 29.724 inches ; maximum, 30.56 inches on the 18th j minimum, 28.61 inches on the 27th j total range of atmospheric pressure, 1.94 inches — the largest I have ever recorded, — it only extended over nine daya. Tho barometer 'stood above 30 inches on fourteen days in the mouth, and below 29 inches on four days. Thermometer — Mean temperature of the air, 44,1 deg. 5 2.8 deg. above tlie average of seven years ; maximum, 62.4 deg. on 25th j minimum, 21.1 deg. on the previous day— the total rango of ] tomper&ture was 41.3 deg., which occurred within j -84 boy?* \ mm daily res§o, 18.2 dsgi j

Hygrometer— Mean degree of humidity, .86 ; temperature of evaporation, 42.4 de£. : dew-point, 40.1 deg. ; elastic force of vapor, 0.256 inches. , Radiation — Solar maximum, 74.4 deg. ; terresterial minimum, 19 deg. Rainfall — On surface of ground, 5.53 a inches. Evaporation— -On garf&ce of ground, Q.%79 inches. Cloud — Mean amount, 6.2 (overcasf, 10). Wind— Mean force, 3.4— (1—12). Anemometer — Mean diurnal movement of wind, 132 miles ; greatest amount iv the 24 hours, 730 miles ; greatest velocity, 70 miles per hour (N. on 21st, W. on 22nd) ; greatest pressure, 23 lbs. to the square foot.

JULY. Barometer — Mean pressure (corrected and reduced;, 30.027 inches ; maximum, 30.499 on the 3rd; minimum, 29.086 on the 29th ; range, 1.413 inches. The barometer stood aboye 30 inches on fifteen days in the month. Thermometer — Mean temperature of the air, 40.4 deg, which is neither more nor less than the average of seven years ; maximum, 63.3 deg. on the Bth (the highest yet recorded in July) ; minimum, 20.1 deg. on the 25th ; total range, 42.2 deg. ; mean daily range, 16.6 deg. Hygrometer — Mean degree of humidity, *83 ; temperature of conformation, 38.3 deg.; dew-point, 35.9 deg. ; elastic force of vapour, 0.206 inch. Eadiation — Solar maximum, 79 deg. on 9th ; terrestrial minimum, 17.1 deg. on 28th. Amount of Evaporation — 2.091 ; very nearly the same as the precipitation. The large amount for a -winter month was due to the strong dry easterly winds which preyaded. Cloud — Mean amount 4.6 (overcast, 10.0). Wind— Mean force, 2.1— (1—12). Anemometer — Mean diurnal moyement of wind, 91 miles ; greatest, 442 mdes (E. on 22nd) ; greatest Telocity, 62 miles per hour (W. on lst) ; maximum pressure, 17 lbs. to the square foot.

CBAELES EOUS MARTEN, Director of Meteorological Stations. Martendale, Southland, Angust 9th, 1866.

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