Temperature. — Sunshine. — Wind. 37 
The actual hours of bright sunshine recorded for Wellington City average 
nearly 6 hours per day throughout the year. The position is a critical one 
with regard to atmospheric disturbances, Cook Strait being usually the divid- 
ing line between the cyclonic storms and westerly low and, though sometimes 
escaping both, generally partaking of the changes due to the two. Other stations 
more protected from cloud formation record more sunshine e. g. — Nelson 
(North-eastern district), Napier (near southern limit of East Cape district) and 
Lincoln (E. of Eastern district), Some of the western districts, on the other 
hand, record less bright sunshine. The following table details the somewhat 
scanty information available as to sunshine throughout New Zealand: — 
year | Auckland | Gisborne Napier | Moumahake‘) Wellington | Lincoln Nelson 
Hr. |Min.| Hr. Min. Hr Min.| Hr. Min. Hr. Min.| Hr. |Min.| Hr. | Min. 
| 
1907 1939 | 20 | 2161 | 35 | 1897 | 34 | 1853 | 53 | 2133 ]53 | 
1908 2259 | 20 | 2806 | 42 | 2o01 | 4o 2009 | 3 | 2185 |ıı | 
1909 1965 | 40 | 2203 | 20 | 1856 | ı7 | 2223 | 31 | zıı2 2562 | 58 
ı910 | 1775 | 45 | 2293 | 4 | 2530 | 47 | 1869 | 15 | 2157 | 3 | 2083 |42 | 2571 | 34 
1911 || 1975 | 30 147 | 20 | 2406 | 56 | 1692 | 25 | 2276 | 37 | 2326 | 0 | 2506 | 56 
1912 | 1834 ı 21 | 1750 9 | 2451 | 25 | 1906 | 55 | 1953 | 17 |. 1782 | 72| 2227. | ı5 
1913 || 1945 | zo | 2091 | 35 | 2626 5 | 2214 „| 20 | 1973 | 39 | 1950 | 232 2107 | 10 
Average || 1882 |.44 | 2063 | 47 | 2519 | 24 | 1919 | 46 | 2063 | 52 | 2081 55 | 2395 | a1 
5. Wind. 
Wind, especially in certain botanical districts, is a most important ecological 
factor. Generally speaking its effect becomes more intense the further S. one 
proceeds or the higher one ascends. It is also of great moment on the coast 
especially on the W. and on small islands. 
The westerly winds of the South Island are of special moment. Striking 
the western mountain wall, the wind loses its moisture in passing over the 
high lands and descends on the E. as a hot wind sweeping through the river 
valleys and over the gravel plains, raising transpiration to its maximum. 
The S.W. wind is also of high importance, sometimes bringing with it cold 
squalls of a subantarctic character or even a heavy downpour, while, at other 
times, rain is wanting but a furious gale rages for one or two days at a time. 
The change from N.W. to S.W. on the E. is quite sudden; the temperature drops 
many degrees and conditions approximating to those of midwinter may occur 
in the middle of summer. Obviously such sudden changes are of great physio- 
logical importance. 
The average velocity of the wind in the tables is from records 
of the Robinson anemometer in kilometers er 
ı) Egmont-Wanganui district. 
2) Incomplete, 13 days no record kept. 
