[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]

INTRODUCTION 9

CLIMATE

The climate is not hot and very equable. The
average temperature in Efate in 1910 was 24'335° C. ;
the hottest month was February, with an average of
27295", the coolest, July with 119° C. The lowest
absolute temperature was II'9° C. in August, and
the highest 3 5 '6° C. in March. The average yearly
variation, therefore, was 5'48°, and the absolute
difference 2 37°.

The rainfall is very heavy. In December the
maximum, 564 mm., was reached, and in June the
minimum, 22 mm. The total rainfall was 3012 mm.,
giving a daily average of 8'3 mm.

These figures, taken from a table in the Neo-
-Heérz'daz's, show that the year is divided into a cool,
dry season and a hot, damp one. From May to
October one enjoys agreeable summer days, bright
and cool, with a predominant south-east trade-wind,
that rises and falls with the sun and creates a fairly
salubrious climate. From November to April the
atmosphere is heavy and damp, and one squall follows
another. Often there is no wind, or the wind changes
quickly and comes in heavy gusts from the north-
west. This season is the time for cyclones, which
occur at least once a year ; happily, their centre rarely
touches the islands, as they lie somewhat out of the
regular cyclone track. a

A similar climate, with but slightly higher tem-
perature, prevails on the Santa Cruz Islands.