Page:Hunt - The climate and weather of Australia - 1913.djvu/40

Rh The dominant winds in the various months are given in the following table.

Where, as is often the case, winds from one particular octant are the most numerous, this direction only is given. Where, however, two adjacent octants are nearly equal, they are both given; and they are also grouped together under the intermediate direction. The figures refer to percentages of winds in the whole month.

Note.—Figures represent percentages of all winds of month. In this table the months are grouped as cold and warm respectively. This brings out the paramount importance of the sun's annual swing in connexion with the change in direction of the prevailing winds. Of the six wind regions concerned, three (III, IV, and V) may be classed as variable and three as steady (I, II, and VI).

1. The Northern Coast (from Cambridge Gulf to Cape York) may be discussed first. It is seen that the dominant winds throughout the colder months (and indeed, except in December, January, and February) are confined to the south-east quarter. During this period the monsoonal effect of the Asiatic Massif is controlling Northern Australia. In Midsummer