NOTES ON THE WEATHEE DUEING 1878. 



Janitaet. — Tile weather throughout for this month has heen unusually oolcT, wet, and 

 boisterous for the time of year ; frequent S.W. gales of violence have occurred, accom- 

 panied with thunder and hail, and the temjDerature 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 845 p.m., slight. 



Febeuaey. — 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, p.t 3 a.m., slight. 



Maech. — 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. 



Apbil. — 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 winds 

 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., smart, and Blenheim 11th, at 8'55 a.m., sharp, N. to E. ; 

 at Queenstown on the 25th, at 3-30 a.m., smart. A meteor was observed at Christchurch 

 on 27th, in S.E. 



Mat. 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 briUiant. 



JtjNE. 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 12-16 a.m., smart. 



JuLT. — Tolerably fine weather for time of year, though heavy rain at some of the 

 stations, with strong gales, chiefly from westward ; very heavy snow-storms, with hail 

 and severe frosts, occurred in the South. Earthquakes occurred on 5th at Welhngton, 

 at 10-18 p.m., slight ; at Foxton, 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 shght ; 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 hail storms ; low atmospheric pressure prevailed, 

 and temperature below the average for same month in previous years. Earthquakes— 

 Taranaki, 8th, at 8 a.m. ; at Welhngton, on Sth, at 7-53 a.m., slight double shock; Wanga- 



