90 



AUSTRALIAN WEATHER. 



notherly to southerly winds, but from north-west to south-west 

 winds ; all these conditions combine to strengthen the westerly 

 circulation, until at times they seem to be like the brave west 

 winds of the roaring forties. 



On the east coast they extend further north than they do inland, 

 and at times include Brisbane within their influence. When 

 very strong the anticyclone is elongated and the southern isobars 

 are flattened. (See Chart 30). They are very cold and dry, 

 having all the raw feeling of the easterly winds of England, and 

 have been known to last for several weeks without intermission; 

 they are the most persistent winds during our winter. In heavy 

 westerly winds the cold is very severe in Bass' Straits, between 

 the south coast of Victoria and Tasmania, rain, hail, and sleet being 

 very common. It is almost needless to say that on land they 

 bring very little rain, and they rapidly dry up the soil. The 

 severe drought of 1895 was largely due to the persistent westerly 

 winds which rapidly dried up the occasional rains; this feature 

 becomes intensified if instead of coining from due west they blow 

 from north-west. 



TYPES 

 or 



AUSTRALIAN WEATHER 

 K20 



