686 Agylmtltural Gazette of N.S.W. [Aiifj. 3, 1908. 



were JS degrees ut Kiandi-a, oti tlie Soutlieiii Taljlclaiid ; I'l degrees at Coona- 

 baraliraii, on the Central-western >Slope ; and 25 degrees at Aiiuidalc on tlie 

 Noithei-n Tahleland. 



At 1) a. III. on the 20th an extensive high-pressui'e system covered practically 

 the whole mainland of Australia, excepting a narrow stretch of country south 

 of a line joining Sydney and Perth (Western Austi-alia). This latter portion 

 was occupied by the northern isobars of an antarctic disturbance, with its 

 lowest barometric I'eadings on the east coast of Tasinania. With this (hs- 

 tribiition light to heavy rainfall occurred at scattered places in the area 

 dominated by the depression, with moderate to rough seas between the 

 Leeuwin and Wilson's Promontory. The heaviest falls wei-e 120 points at 

 Robe and 10-4 at Cape Borda. Liglit to liea\v rainfall was also recorded 

 genfrally in the southern districts of oui- State west from the talilflamls, 

 the largest amounts being 88 points at Kiandra, 7-") at Albuiy, •"):! at Corowa, 

 and 56 at Tumberumba. 



Within the next forty-eight hours a great change was shown in pressure 

 distribution, for the " high " had tilted north-eastward, so that its advance 

 portion at 9 a.m. on the 22nd covered Central Queensland. This northward 

 movement was attended by an expansion of the antarctic distui-baiice over 

 the whole of the south-eastern States, which resulted in unsettled to showery 

 weather over many districts. In New South Wales the i"ain was chiefly 

 confined to the area south of the Lachlan, with snow on parts of the central 

 and southern Inghlands. Victoria reported moderate to heavy falls almost 

 throughout, but only light in the south-east. In South Australia general 

 rains were recorded ; light between Port Augusta and Farina, and moderate 

 to flood falls in the far noith. The heaviest reported amounts were 170 

 points at Cape Borda, 157 at Adelaide, 95 at Fowler's Bay, 85 at Wallaroo, 

 and (i7 at Eucla. In our State, an isolated heavy fall of 112 points, the 

 result of melted sninv, was recorded. Hail was also associated with the 

 rainfall in this disturbance. Strong west to southerly winds, with rough to 

 high seas, were ex|)erienced along the seaboard between Lincoln and Wilson's 

 Promontoiy. 



At 9 a.m. on the 2.3rd the advance isobars of the anticyclone were shown 

 to have expanded south-eastward as far as the western districts of our State, 

 thus compressing the disturbance into a smaller area. As a consequence, the 

 barometric gradients became steeper, causing fresh to strong south-west to 

 westerly gales over Victoria, Tasmania, and our south-eastern quadrant, as 

 also a continuation of the rough seas between Cape Otway and Gabo. Still 

 further rainfall (occurred over the greater portion of the southeastern 

 States, with more snow on the highlands. AVithin the following twenty-four 

 hours the lugh-pressure had covered the whole of the continent, excepting 

 the south-eastei'n seaboard, where the rear isobar of the disturbance still 

 lingered, its central value, 29-2 inches, being now shown at the Bluff (New 

 Zealand). 



Very cold and frosty conditions occurred in various parts of the States^ 

 and fresh to strong westerly winds were still reported from the south coast 



