Remarks on the Weather during 1878
Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute
Appendix


January
The weather throughout for this month has been unusually cold,
wet and boisterous for the time of year; frequent SW gales of
violence have occurred, accompanied with thunder and hail, and
the temperature has been considerably lower than the average,
generally 4 and 5 degrees below; altogether it was a very
unseasonable month. Earthquake at Queenstown on 15th, at 8.45pm,
slight.

February
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 3am, slight.

March
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 9.35pm, slight.

April
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 12.50am;
at Wellington on 28th, at 6.25pm, lasting six seconds, N and S,
very slight; at Cape Campbell on 11th, at 9am, smart, and
Blenheim 11th, at 8.55am, sharp, N to E; at Queenstown on the
25th, at 3.30am, smart. A meteor was observed at Christchurch
on 27th, in SE.

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 SW winds; very low atmospheric
pressure throughout. Earthquakes at Napier on 5th, at 11.15pm,
sharp, and on 23rd at 3.15pm, not so marked; at Wellington on
23rd, at 7.38am, slight, direction SE; at Wanganui on 23rd, at
4.50am, strong shake; at Nelson on 24th, at 8.30am; at Cape
Campbell on 3rd, at 12.15am, smart.

July
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 Wellington, at
10.18pm, slight; at Foxton, 10.20pm, sharp, with loud noise; at
Greytown, 10.17pm, smart, with noise; on 20th, at Wellington,
11.39pm, very slight; and at Wanganui, at midnight, smart, and
on 21st a lighter shock at 3am; at Hokitika, 29th, at 12am,
slight.

August
The weather was generally wet and stormy, principally from SW;
frequent 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
8am; at Wellington, on 8th, at 7.53am, slight double shock;
Wanganui, on 8th, at 8.10am, heavy; at Lawrence and Arrow, on
24th, rather severe; at Queenstown, on 23rd, at 7.35pm, slight
and a very heavy shock on 24th, at 2.38pm; at Southland, a sharp
shock on 25th, at 2.40pm.

September
Very high barometer readings throughout, and high temperature;
in the North rain rather below the average, but in the South
in excess, which combined with the flooding of the snow rivers,
owing to the hot NW winds and warm rain, caused considerable
damage to several districts in the South. Earthquakes - On the
14th, at Wellington, 5am, slight; Kaikoura, 4.45am, smart;
Nelson, same time, smart; Westport, 4.40am, smart; Lyttelton,
at 4.50am, also smart; Cape Campbell at 4.30am, smart;
Christchurch, at 4.30am, S to N; also on the 30th, felt at
Rangiora, from E to W.

October
Wet stormy SW and NW weather generally prevailed throughout
this month. Earthquakes - Wellington on 21st, at 10.55pm, sharp,
followed by lighter shocks; at Wanganui, on 21st, at 11pm,
slight rumble; at Nelson on 21st, sharp shock, at 10.55pm,
also at 11.45pm another movement; Cape Campbell, on 21st, at
11.15pm, sharp, and on 27th, at 3.30am, slight; Christchurch,
on 21st, at 11pm; Hokitika, on 21st, at 11pm, slight; Queenstown,
at midnight, slight. Meteors observed at Mongonui on 31st, and
at Christchurch on 30th.

November
Rather a wet stormy month, wind generally from SW and westerly;
temperature on the whole about the average; frequent thunder
storms occurred. Earthquakes reported at Queenstown on 8th, at
2.30am; on 14th, at 12.8pm, smart; and on 27th, at 6.40am.

December
Generally fine, dry, warm weather at Northern stations, but in
the South excessive rain and frequently stormy cold weather
experienced for time of year. Earthquakes felt at Wellington
on 6th, at 9pm, slight; on 7th, at 5am, slight; on 12th, at
11.39am, slight, followed by a smarter shock. Meteors observed
in North on 15th, and in South on 20th and 25th.