SNOW AND SLEET

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 225, 6 July 1939, Page 6

SNOW AND SLEET

ROUGH WEATHER IN COUNTY.

BITTERLY COLD CONDITIONS. / FOLLOWING A STIFF FROST. Driven by a bitterly cold southerly wind, rain, sleet and snow swept the Ashburton County to-day. Following a fairly severe frost last night, clouds banked up from the south and for an hour or two this morning snow fell generally on the plains. Rougher conditions were experienced on the flat than was the case nearer the hills, for reports from the higher levels were to the effect that comparatively little snow fell this morning. At Methven the weather broke about 7 o’clock, but only a few flurries of snow fell during the morning, none of it remaining on the ground. The wind was fairly strong, however, and bitterly cold. There was a frost of 13 degrees in the night. A report from the Rakaia Gorge this morning stated that the weather was not particularly rough, but a little snow had fallen in the lower levels. Tho mountains received ' another good coating of .snow, however, and the foothills are now almost completely white. About half an inch of snow fell in the Springburn district and was followed by rain and sleet. Further snow was experienced about mid-day and the weather showed no signs of clearing.

In the Pendarves area, similar conditions were experienced, and snow fell for about two hours from 7 a.m. At mid-day the temperature was only 1} degrees above freezing point, and a strong wind blew.from the west:' At Wakanui it snowed heavily for the greater part of the morning.

The first fall in Ashburton was about 7 o’clock this morning, and although it continued steadily for over an hour there was not enough to remain on the ground long. Rain and sleet followed and continuecl throughout the morning, mingled with flurries of snow. Conditions were perhaps the most bitter that have been experienced here this winter, for the fall followed a frost of nine degrees.

■ Five points of fain were registered up to 9 o’clock this morning, when the barometer stood at 29.85 inches.

The minimum temperature yesterday was 34.7 degrees, and the minimum last night was 27.5 degrees.

LOW RAINFALL AT RUAPUNA.

Tlie mild weather experienced at Ruapuna in the previous months continued during June, and conditions for stock and farming were reported to he excellent. Tlle ; absence of frosts, and of snow on the surrounding hills, was very unusual.

The rainfall for the month was 198 points, compared with. 542 points for June last .year. The average for the month is 241 points. The fall for the year to date is 886 points, by far the lowest total for the period yet recorded, the previous lowest being in 1933, when 1159 were registered. The average ■ for the. period over the previous, 10 years is 2032 points.

RAINFALL AT RAKAIA Rain fell on 10 days at Rakaia during June for a total of 160 points, compared with 482 points for the corresponding month, last year and 14.1 points for May of this year. The heaviest fall was on June 19' when 44 points were recorded. The total fall to date this year is 655 points, compared with 1849 points for the same period last year.

WHOLE PROVINCE SWEPT.

AIR SERVICES DISLOCATED

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day

Canterbury was in the grip of real winter conditions to-day, when snow sleet and rain swept the province, driven by strong south-west wind. At times up till noon, the wind in gusts reached the velocity of 40 miles am, hour, while snow was falling heavily at Porter’s Pass and at Lake Coleridge and Waipara. Motorists journeying from Timaru also encountered snow and hail between Temulca and Ashburton.-

Buffeted by strong winds and head seas the inter-island steamer Wahine berthed at Lyttelton t'hjree-quarters of an hour behind schedule.

The Union Airways services were also dislocated by the gale. . The northbound plane did not leave Dunedin until 10.34, almost two hours late, but every endeavour is being made to maintain the .normal south-bound schedule. The* Dunedin plane arrived at AVigram at 11.50 a.m. and left for Blenheim soon after midday.

BLIZZARD STRIKES DUNEDIN.

I MAIN ROAD IMPASSABLE. DUNED'IN, This Day. The first blizzard of winter struck Dunedin last night, a piercing westerly wind bringing snow which piled up on the hills to some depth. The main north road over Mount Cargill was impassable, til! noon when, a grader cleared a one-way track. Three railway buses and many cars were held up on the mountain road. The AVaitati stream overflowed into Chinese gardens and, at noon, with tho rain continuing there wore indications of serious flooding. In. south , and Central Otago the roads are all clear, but the Molyneux River is running high at Balclutha.

TO-DAY’S FORECAST. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Tho Government Meteorologist, at noon to-day, issued the following statement regarding the weather:— A, series of secondary cold frosts eon-

tinues to cross the Dominion and there has been little eastward movement of the anti-cyclone near Tasmania. The forecast for the east coast of the South Island from Blenheim to Oa-maru is as follows: Strong south-westerly to southerly winds, reaching gale force in exposed positions. AA’eatlmr dull with intermittent rain, hail or snow later, becoming more changeable and showery. Temperatures very* cold. Sea moderate to ratheyc rough, but later increasing.