METEROLOGICAL OBSERVATIAFS IN 1868.

Southland Times, Issue 1120, 8 March 1869, Page 2

METEROLOGICAL OBSERVATIAFS IN 1868.

Compared with the average of the previous nine years, the results for 1868 are somewhat unfavorable — the mean temperature of the air being 3*3 deg. below, and the rainfa 1 2*12 inches above the average. Comparing the past year with its j predecessors taken singly, we find that there have been four years drier and five years wetter, but that 1868 was the coldest year yet recorded. The thermal depression was entirely confined to the spring and summer months, the autumn and winter temperature being above the average, whereas the deficiency in January and December was 7*2 deg. and 7*3 deg. respectively. The rain was continuous rather than heavy ; the greatest daily fall was 1*24 inch on Jan 9. The weather was showery during January and the early part of February, the latter half of that month fine and warm ; March dry and windy ; April wet and stormy ; May showery and mild ; June fine (a severe storm during the first week excepted) ; July and the first week in August wet ; Aug 9to Oct 3 splendid weather, calm, dry, and sunny ; remainder of October wet and stormy ; earlier half of November very fine, latter half wet and boisterous, as was the whole of December. As in August, 1867, so in February, 1868, Southland enjoyed a fortunate immunity from the disastrous storms and floods which caused serious loss of life and property in other parts of New ZealandThe February storms were in this Province confined to a moderate dry gale from the eastward on Feb 3, and a thunderstorm on the following day. This latter was remarkable for a severe hailstorm reported to have occurred within aradius of about a mile on the Waikivi Plain ; the hailstones were described exceptionally large. The thunderstorm lasted three hours. On the 19th, 21st, and 22nd of March, heavy gales blew from the N.N.W. and W., with a pressure of 241bs, and on the 29th of April, one still more violent from the W., the pressure being 301b5., the barometer fell to 28*98 inches. From the Ist to the sth of June a furious storm was experienced ; the direction was W, and the pressure 31*6 lbs, the barometer 28*94, and the rainfall nearly an inch daily, it was accompanied by tremendous thunder and lightning. On the 10th of July a fine parhelion a (mock sun) was visible, and on the night of the 14th a violent thunderstorm occurred on the 20th, the barometer read 30*38, on the 22nd it had fallen to 2898 ; and on the 24th had again risen to 30*25; nothing happened which would explain this extraordinary oscillation, but a squall was reported about 100 miles to the northward. On the 15th of August a great ocean wave visited the coast of the Province, caused by a terrible earthquake in South America. On the 18th there was a total eclipse of the sun, remarkable for the period of totality exceeding that of any eclipse hitherto recorded, and of any which will occur for many centuries. Unfortunately ife was invisible in New Zealand. On the 16th of September, a fine A urora Australia of varied form was visible. The zodiacal light was particularly bright during the early part of the month. On the 15th of October the barometer fell i. to 2832 inches, and during the night occurred the severest gale and highest tide hitherto recorded in Southland. The anemometer broke at a pressure of 341b~s to the square foot. Much damage was done, the most serious being the destruction of a portion of the Bloff Harbor and Invercargill Railway. The barometric reading, 28*32 inches, was by far the lowest on record, and it is singular that the maximum for the year, 30*44, was registered 13 days afterwards j the range in a fortnight, 2*12 inches, being much greater than ever belore registered in a whole year ; a curious instance of the pendulum movement of atmospheric undulations. On the 7th of December, the barometer fell to 2867, heavy ! westerly gales followed, and on the afternoon of the lltb, a snowstorm occurred, the only instance known of such a phenomenon in December. The mean temperature of the month was no less than 15 degrees colder than that oi December, 1860. A smart shock of earthquake § curred on the 24th of Januai-y, at 6.5 p.m., the barometer standing at 30*17 inches. Several slight shocks were felt during the year. Solar radiation was greatest, 146 deg., on .November sih and 18th ; terrestrial, 120 deg., on August 21. The mean dew-point was 41*4 deg ; vapor tension, 0.262 inch ; relative humidity, '754. The total evaporation was 35*74 inches, the mean amount of cloud. 4'B Tuere was snow on 9 days, hail on 39 J fog on 4 ; thundez- on 33 ; frost on 65 days. The wind blew from N. on 18 days; NJI., 4; E., 36; S.ii., 51; S., 6 ; S.W., 8; W, j.o9j N.W., 134 days. The following table shows the highest, lowest, apd mean temperatures in shade in each of the la»t 1O year*, dating backward from 1868 : —

I The next table shows the rainfall in inches, and the number of days with and without rain in each year : — j \e.iv Days iiu rain. Days riiii fell. Inches, j 1868 — 197 -- 169 -■- 16-33 1867 — 222 — 143 — 4162 1866 — 229 — 136 — 17 21 1865 — 14S — 217 — 63-63 1864 — 199 — 167 — Sl'l6 1863 — 185 — 188 — 58-03 1862 — 185 — 180 — 47-27 1861 — 298 — 67 — 27.51 1860 — 301 — 65 — 29-32 1859 — 279 — 86 — 22*71 It ie unnecessary to compare the observations of merely scientific interest. The preceding tables give a concise and clear view of the Southland climate, its temperature and weather, as they have been experienced during the past ten years j a view deduced from regular and uninterrupted daily observations throughout that period. On the Bluff Hill observations are still regu. larly, and carefully taken by Oapt. Macdonald — unfortunately the barometer, thermometers, and hygrometer were destroyed in the same fire which ( consumed the signal station — his returns give a ! rainfall of 81"05 inches against 46*33 inches at I Martendale, and 217 rainy days against 169 at the inland station. The difference was greater in 1867, when the respective amounts were 89 inches on the coast and 4L inches inland. It is curious that at Martendale 5 inches more rain fell in 1868 than in 1887, while at the Bluff 8 inches more rain fell in 1867 than in 1868* The rainfall at the Bluff has greatly exceeded Chat at Martendale in each of the last 36 months, with one single exception, August, 1868, when, strangely enough, it was only half that of the inland station. There is no apparent reason for chis discrepancy.

Year. Max. Mm. Mean. 1868 — 802 — 20*1 — 49-0 1867 — 832 — 21-2 — 498 1866 — 854 — 200 — 507 1865 — 850 — 25 0 — s<j'9 11864 — 83-0 — "" 170 — 520 1868 — 900 — 170 — 50-4 1862 — 840 — 9-0 — 5i a i ;1861 -» 940 w 200 — 643 11860 — . 950 — U-0 *. 544, 1859 *m 92-0 — 12? — 536 1&58* — tWO — mo *- m^