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Climate of Soouthern Stewart Island
No climatic statistics of any kind are available for the south of Stewart Island, and the only semi-permanent inhabitants are the men who operate the fish-freezing plant which formed the base camp for the present expedition. From these men particulars of a general nature were obtained fully in accord with the evidence obtainable from the vegetation itself.
Rain is said to fall at frequent intervals, and the number of wholly rainless days probably does not exceed sixty or seventy per annum. The driest period is the first quarter of the year. The annual rainfall is reported to be much greater than at Half-moon Bay in the north and therefore may be placed at possibly 100 inches per annum. On the tops of the hills it doubtless exceeds 150 inches on an average. Overcast skies are the rule over much of the year and fog shrouds the summits for lengthy intervals.
Snow, however, rarely falls, only two occasions being recalled in the past five years. Even on the high levels (1,500 ft. and over) snow is rarely seen, and when it does fall, it disappears in a day or two.
![Thumbnail: [Volume 78, 1950 page 487]](/journals/rsnz/images/rsnz_78/thumbnails/rsnz_78_04_0638_0487_ac_02.gif)
Frosts, too, are rare and, according to my informants, are never severe. This is borne out by the growth of frost-tender perennials in the cottage gardens.
Winds are frequent and commonly are of gale force, resulting in much wind-shorn vegetation, and prostrate growth in the shrubs, particularly in the sub-alpine belt. The general opinion was that the climate even in winter could be considered as mild, though the summers were never hot. The average noon-day temperature during our stay (January 5 to January 26) was 61° Fah. with a range of only 6° Fah.