GISBORNE WEATHER FOR 1907.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2079, 3 January 1908, Page 1

GISBORNE WEATHER FOR 1907.

RAIN AND SUNSHINE BOTH BELOW AVERAGE. OLD YEAR FINISHED UP WITH THE HOTTEST SPELL ON RECORD. Tho following remarks on the weather last year ' are supplied by the Ven. Archdeacon Williams: Temperature: The range for the year has been from 99 degrees on December 18th to 31 degrees on the night of June 10. The latter is a degree or two higher than usual, while tlio former is far higher than has been before registered. The conditions under which the readings were taken till the end of 1903 make a comparison of actual temperatures a matter of extreme difficulty, hut observations taken over 12 months show that tho maximum- readings from the Stevenson screen average 4 degrees higher than those under the old conditions. A reading of 91 degrees was recorded on January 20 and'December 31, 1890, and on January d, 1898; and, when all allowance has been made, there can be no doubt tint the recent 99 degrees constitutes a record. It occurred near the end of nine consecutive days on which the maximum was over 80 degrees; and previous records contain no such spell of continuous high temperature. The mean maximum for December, 81.1, is higher than any previous records, even with the correction made for of comparison, and the mean temperature for the month is considerably higher than the average. The coldest day temperature was registered on May 29 and June 28. when the maximum only reached 49 degrees. On January 14 and December 18 the minimum registered 08 degrees. There were 38 frosts, between May 22 and (September 18. In the 28 years for which wo have records there has been only one year (1890) With fewer frosts. And the earliest frost has never been recorded later than 'May 19, which was the date in 1880, but in that year there were no less than 60 frosts by October 13th. Rainfall:. It will doubtless be a surprise to many to find that the total for the year is rather more than 3i inches below the average. The last three months have contributed largely to this result. But it must also be borne in mind that the falls for January, March, June, and August were below tho average, while February and September were only slighter in excess. On the other hand, April,- May, and July produced 21.89 inches, which is rather more than half of the total for the year, and 6j inches above tho average for those months. In other words, these three months produced 45 per cent above the average, while the remaining nine months were 33 per cent, lielow the average. While the amount of rain is low, the number of days on which rain fell is slightly above the average. Of the 100 days, *9 showed over f inch, and accounted for 13.90 inches, or 32 per cent, of the whole fall; 79 days showed falls of over 1-lOth of an inch but under 1 inch, while the remaining 72 days gave showers of less than l-10tli of an inch. Tho heaviest fall for the year was 2.44 inches, registered on May 2. The impression of a very wet year was produced by the fact that the autumn was wet, and light winds prevailed through the winter, so that very little evaporation took place. Sunshine: The record for this year has been disappointing. To the end of August each month lias been below tho average, while January and March are considerably below the previous lowest records for those months. The total for the rear is only 40 per cent, of the possible, and 77] hours below the previous lowest record in }905. The number of sunless days is not so high as in 1905, when there were 42, but that was in a measure compensated by 38 cloudless . days, as against 29 such in the prei sent case.