NOTES ON THE. WEATHER DURING 1878. 
— 
JANUARY.—The weather throughout for this month has been unusually cold, wet, and 
boisterous for the time of year; frequent S.W. gales of violence have occurred, accom- 
panied with thunder and hail, and the temperature has been considerably lower than the 
average, generally 4° and 5° below; altogether it was a very unseasonable month, Earth- 
quake at Queenstown on 15th, at 8:45 p.m., slight. 
FrsnvaAnY.—Fine weather generally throughout, with small rainfall at most places ; 
strong winds were experienced at some of the stations, but no very violent gales; high 
barometer readings prevailed, but temperature below the average. Earthquake reported 
by Observer at Queenstown on 12th, at 3 a.m., slight. 
Marcu.—Except at the Southern stations, the rainfall was much below the average, 
and fine weather experienced; in the South, however, it was at times severe, and 
excessively wet and stormy. An earthquake was reported at Hokitika on 11th, at 9:35 
p.m., slight. 
Aprit.—The weather was exceedingly fine during this period, except at Bealey, where 
the rain was in excess, with strong westerly winds; also at Hokitika very wet, but win 
moderate; and in the extreme South the rain was over the average, with cold stormy 
westerly weather. Earthquakes occurred at Wanganui on the 4th, at 12:50 a.m.; at 
Wellington on 28th, at 6:25 p.m., lasting six seconds, N. and S., very slight; at Cape 
Campbell on 11th, at 9 a.m., sei: and Blenheim 11th, at 8:55 a.m., sharp, N. to E. ; 
at Pario on the 25th, at 3:30 a.m., smart. A meteor was observed at Ora 
on 27th, in 
May.—On the whole, rain rather below the average; the temperature was lower 
than usual for time of year ; very cold stormy weather experienced at most of the stations, 
with snow, and a good deal of thunder. A meteor seen in South on 7th, very brilliant. 
June.—A very cold, wet, and severe month throughout. The rainfall at nearly all 
places in excess, and frequent thunder storms, with hail and snow, and prevailing S.W. 
winds; very low atmospheric pressure throughout. Earthquakes at Napier on 5th, at 
11:15 p.m., sharp, and on 23rd at 3:15 p.m., not so marked ; at Wellington on 23rd, at 
7:38 am., slight, direction S.E.; at Wanganui on 23rd, at 4:50 a.m., strong shake; at 
Nelson on 24th, at 8:30 a.m. ; at Cape Campbell on 3rd, at 12-15 a.m., smart. 
Jury.— Tolerably fine weather for time of year, though heavy rain at some of the 
stations, with strong us chiefly from westward; very heavy snow-storms, with hail 
and severe frosts, occurre the South. Earthquakes occurred on 5th at Wellington, 
at 10-18 p.m., slight; at Pork 10-20 p.m., sharp, with loud noise; at Greytown, 10.17 
p.m., smart, with noise; on 20th, at Wellington, 11:39 p.m., very slight; and at Wanga- 
nui, at midnight, smart, and on 21st a lighter shock at 3 a.m. ; at Hokitika, 29th, at 12 
a.m., slight. | 
August.—The weather was generally wet and stormy, principally from S.W.; fre- 
quent gales occurred, also snow and storms; low atmospheric pressure preria, 
and temperature below the average for same month in previous years. Earthquakes— 
Taranaki, 8th, at 8 a.m.; at Wellington, on Sth, at 7:53 a.m., slight double mee. caf 
