The Weather. 



281 



THE WEATHER. 



Extracts from the Monthly Report of the Chief 

 Meteorologist for the Union. 



The weather of the mouth of January, 1921, was characterized hy a practically 

 general serious shortage of rainfall — absolute drought prevailing at many 

 stations in the Karoos and Northern Border; persistent cool, cloudy weather 

 over the south-west of the Cape; good light rains over the greater part of the 

 Transvaal, Orange Free State, Natal, and south-east Cape m the early part 

 of the month, followed by a hot droughty spell broken only by highly localized 

 thunderstorms, hot drying and occasionally destructive winds, and some severe 

 hailstorms causing damage to crops and fruit. 



Precipitation in excess of the normal was confined to a few areas of very 

 limited extent, notably the south-west nf the Cape including the Peninsula, 

 the neighbourhood of Knysna, Port St. Johns, and Umtata and Durban, along 

 the coast; inland excesses were confined to the neighbourhood of Rustenburg 

 and Nylstroom, where the monthly totals were 2.02 and 3.02 inches respectively 

 above the normal, and Heidelberg, where the surplus was only 0.03 inch. Else- 

 where large shortages were experienced, ranging from 0.01 inch to more than 

 three inches over the Cape; from a few tenths to about three inches in the 

 Orange Free State; from three-quarters of an inch to more than six inches 

 in Natal; and from about a third of an inch to seven inches over the Transvaal, 

 where the shortage was greatest in the east, south-east, and south-west. 

 Absolute drought prevailed throughout the month over large sections of the 

 Karoos and Northern Border. The early portion of the month Avas very favour- 

 able to agriculture, light rains falling from the 1st to 12th over the south-east 

 Cape, Natal, Orange Free State, and Transvaal. These rains were particularly 

 favourable, falling mostly during the latter part of the evening and throughout 

 the night, thus not interfering with the day's work. Unfortunately this was 

 succeeded by a spell of hot, droughty weather, relieved only by very lociil 

 thunderstorms, occasionally of considerable intensity. In consequence, agri- 

 cultural reports this month arc of the gloomiest description, veld dried up, 

 crops, particularly mealies, burned up or partially destroyed, and even dams 

 and vleis dried up, with jivers down to tlie normal winter flow. 



The cumulative rainfall since 1st July, 1920, still shows an excess over 

 the south-west and west of the Cape, the west of the Northern Karoo, and the 

 East Central Karoo. Surplus amounts of 2-5 inches are also met with between 

 Durban and Howick. A precipitation in excess of the normal for the period is 

 confined in the Transvaal to a few stations in the south-east centre and north- 

 west. In Swaziland there is an excess of more than 65 inches at Mbabaan. In 

 all other parts of the Union there is a considerable deficit, ranging from 

 1-7 inches over the Cape, but mostly between 3 and 5 inches ; generally 

 2-3 inches in the Orange Free State; about .3 inches in Natal, but reaching 

 9.19 inches at Vryheid ; usually 2-4 inches over the Transvaal, but amounting 

 to 9.36 inches at Woodbush. 



