WEATHER CONDITIONS. 169 



APPENDIX I. 



WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR NINE MONTHS IN VICTORIA, NEW SOUTH WALES, AND 

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA, UP TO AND INCLUDING MARCH, 1915. 



I am indebted to Mr. H. A. Hunt, Commonwealth Meteorologist, for reports of the weather conditions prevailing 

 throughout the States of Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia up to the end of March, 1915. 



From these I have selected the general features for nine months commencing in July, 1914, and ending in 

 March, 1915, when the fruit season was practically over. 



VICTORIA. For the three months of July, August, and September, 1914, the rainfall was generally scanty, 

 although, with the exception of the Northern areas, the July rains were generally sufficient, while Gippsland had a 

 large excess. In August the rainfall summary shows the phenomenal dryness of the month, and in September the 

 rainfall was also very deficient in the South, not to so great an extent as in the North, but still sufficiently so to 

 threaten serious effects. 



NEW SOUTH WALES. There was also a general deficiency of rain throughout these months. In July heavy 

 rains were experienced in the Coastal districts, and in the Tablelands there was a fair amount of rain, but in districts 

 such as the Riverina very dry conditions still prevailed. In August, with the exception of the North Coastal districts 

 and a small area to the south, a most unusually small rainfall was experienced over the whole of New South Wales, 

 most of the stations in the Western Division and Plains not recording even one point. In September, except in the 

 Hunter, Metropolitan, and South Coast Districts, the rainfall was again far below the average. 



SOUTH AUSTRALIA. The drought was very pronounced. July was very dry with severe frosts, August ex- 

 ceptionally dry, and the exceedingly dry conditions of winter, which had culminated with the driest August on record, 

 had been' further intensified by the end of September. 



VICTORIA. For the months of October, November, and December there were good rains during the last two 

 months. In October, however, the drought lost none of its intensity, making the sixth month of the severest drought 

 ever known in Victoria, certainly since 1858. One result of the generally dry and quiet conditions of the air was the 

 occurrence of several frosts, one of which on the 16th had disastrous effects, especially on the apple crop. A summary 

 of the rainfall in November shows a considerable improvement on any of the previous six months, and no severe 

 weather occurred. Monsoonal activity, which was becoming very noticeable in October, and which resulted in the 

 break-up of the drought in November, still further increased during December, with the result that this month has 

 been unusually wet, almost throughout the State. Throughout the State fruit crops are light, partly due to the 

 Thrip pest and partly to spring frosts, one of which occurred on 27th November, in addition to the October one. 



NEW SOUTH WALES. There were good spring rains, with the exception principally of the Kiverina and Western 

 District. In October, as a result of the unusually heavy rains, the reports received from all the Coastal districts 

 were of a most satisfactory nature. From the North Coast to the South the outcome proved one of the best springs 

 for years. In Western Riverina and in the Western District, however, drought of unparalleled severity prevailed. 

 November was characterized by frequent thunderstorms, which provided patchy, but generally good, rains over the 

 greater part of the State, excepting a few isolated areas and the Southern District, including the Riverina. During 

 December frequent storms, providing good, but irregular and patchy, rains, occurred over almost the whole State. 

 In the Riverina and portions of the Western Division there was only sufficient rainfall to give partial relief by filling 

 household tanks and causing a slight'spring'in'grass. 



SOUTH AUSTRALIA. There was very little rain in October, but during the two succeeding months good rains 

 were generally recorded. October was marked by the continuance of the severe drought which had held sway during 

 the preceding winter and spring. The rainfall was everywhere very scanty and of little benefit. The extemely dry con- 

 ditions were greatly relieved during November by monsoonal disturbances, which practically controlled the weather 

 through the month. With the exception of a few isolated places, the monthly rainfall totals throughout the State 

 were above the average. At the end of December the outlook over the whole of the State had appreciably brightened 

 through a continuance of the monsoonal conditions which prevailed during November. 



VICTORIA. For the months of January, February, and March the conditions were generally dry. In January 

 the State generally was drier than usual, but not to any great extent. The eastern half of Gippsland had a rainfall 

 well above normal. February and March were both very dry months on the whole, and the effect was seen in the 

 ripening of the fruit, which was generally three weeks earlier than usual. 



NEW SOUTH WALES. There was a very scanty rainfall during these three months. In January the low rainfall, 

 combined with the great heat during the latter half of the month and the unusual amount of windy weather which 

 gave rise to frequent dust storms of exceptional severity, all militated against good seasonable conditions, and con- 

 sequently reports were of a more or less unfavourable character. February proved a very disappointing month, for, 

 owing to the scanty rainfall, the droughty conditions of the interior were still further intensified, and even in the 

 Coastal districts, where conditions were more favourable, the scarcity of rain was beginning to be felt. Throughout 

 March continued heat and dryness were again the prevailing weather conditions, with the inevitable result that all the 

 ills of the droughty period'were'stUTmore intensified. 



SOUTH AUSTRALIA. The first three months of the year were very dry, and the fruit crop seriously suffered 

 through lack of moisture. During January the good rains recorded in the latter two months of last year had not 

 continued, and only the far North and North-West received falls above the average, the excess being up to half an inch. 

 At the end of February the outlook over the whole of the State was very unpromising, owing to the exceptionally 

 dry character of the month. In March the rainfall was again everywhere far below the average, and throughout all 

 the inland pastoral areas and the more inland parts of the agricultural districts it was practically rainless. 



