■JGS Journal oi^ the Department of Agriculture. 



THE WEATHER. 



Extracts from the Monthly Weather Report of the Chief 

 Meteorologist for the Union. 



April, 1921 



.Mkax prcssiirc nlidiit noruKii. except iii the west, where it was lower tliaii usual; 

 (lays one t(; loiii' de<z;rees eooler and nights hall a clej^reo to one liejiree warmer 

 ihaii the av(>rafre ; priH-ipitation si'^iitcr than nsnal over practically the whole 

 of the Cai)o Pi-oviiiee, Swaziland, and central Transvaal, but deficient (>lsewhere ; 

 some killinp; local frosts and destructive hailstorms were the most noteworthy 

 features of the weather of April, 1921. 



Precipitation durin<2; the month was above the average in the Cape Pro- 

 vince, particularly over the northern Karroo, the north-east and south-east of 

 the Province, and south of the Orange Free State, where it was commonly from 

 two to three inches in excess. Over the central, west-central portions, and the 

 extreme north of the Transvaal there were small surplus amounts varying from 

 about 0.2 to 1.7 inches. In the Cape Province the excess decreased to about 

 half an inch along the South Coast and to 1;^ to 2 inches in the south-east. 

 Over the greater portion of tlie west central area, however, as well as in the 

 south-west, the surplus over the interior decreased to deficits of about half an 

 inch. A shortage was also common to Natal, by far the major portion of the 

 Orange Free State, Bechuanaland, and the west, south, cast, and north )f the 

 Transvaal, forming an almost complete circle round the central area having a^ 

 snndl excess. Ovei- Natal the deficits varied between half an inch and two 

 inches; in the Orange Free State the shortage was small except in the north 

 and east central areas, where it amounted to about one to one and a half inches; 

 over the major portion of the Transvaal and the south of Bechuanaland the 

 deficits were generally under an inch, but rising to about one and a half inches 

 in the more easterly and north-westerly and south-westerly parts, as also in the 

 northerly portion of Bechuanaland. Precipitation occurred on every day of the 

 month in one part or another of the T'nion. Over the Transvaal the lains 

 occurred at intervals of ])ractically a week, being noted on 1st, 6th to 9th, 14th 

 to 16th, 22iid an I 23rd, and 29th"to 30th; the distribution as to time intervals 

 was similai- over the Orange Free State, Natal, and tlie Cape, "ilthou!i;h not on 

 the same dates. The cumulative seasonal rainfall since 1st July, 1920, is generally 

 above tlu' average over the Cape by 2 to 4 inches, but rising to 6 to 8 inches in 

 the central Karroo and south-west portion of the northern Karroo. Along the 

 South Coast there was a deficit, however, varying from 0.24 inches at Mossel Bay 

 to 4.96 inches at fOast London. Another broad belt of deficient rainfall partially 

 encircled Basutoland and the ()rang<> Free State from Kokstad, in the Transkei, 

 to Vryburg, in Bechuanaland. Here the shortage varied from 0.14 inch at 

 Hopetown to 3.70 inches at Philipstown, being generally between one and two 

 inches. Over the centre and south of the Orange h'ree State there is an excess 

 ranging from a few hundredths of an inch to almost two inches, with a 

 deficiency in the north and east of a third of an inch to 1.30 inches. An excess 

 of precipitation of 1 to 9 inches has been experienced in the centre and south 

 of Natal, but large deficits of 6 to 10 inches in the north and west, witii a 

 small shortag(> of about an inch in Zululand. Over the Transvaal tiiere has 

 lieen a surplus rainfall of 3 to o inches, except in the east, where relatively 

 small deficits have been ri-corded, amounting to about 2^ inches at Barberton. 

 The cumulative rainfall since the beginning of the calendar year is above the 

 average, commonly by 2 to 4 inches or more over the Cape Province, except in 

 the Cape Peninsula, where there is a deficit of about one-quarter to two inches; 

 a similar shortage is exhibited l)y the neighbourhood of Philipstown. Over the 

 north, south, and west of Natal, the centre and east of the Transvaal, as well 



