BLEAK DAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 190, 14 August 1939, Page 9

BLEAK DAYS.

SLEET AND HAIL.

SNOW ON WAITAKERES.

several inches beep.

Bleak weather was general throughout the province yesterday and to-day, with heavy hail ."bowers, and a southwesterly wind which at time* reached pile force. For the second time this year there was snow 011 the Waitakere Hanges. and at Waiatarua, one of the highect points, there v. as a depth from t'.\o to three inches yesterday morning. ft was reported from Humm. that thorp had 'hron no «tiow on tlio ranjres, but at ( levedun light snow fell on the hitfli hills yesterday morning. It ijuicklv disu ppea red.

Flakes of snow were reported to have been seen 'both in the vicinity of Avondale and at Three Kings. Throughout yesterday the hail swept across Auckland at intervals, and after crashing on roofs of houses piled u|i inches deep in yards and gardens. \esterdav morning the thermometet stood at 41 degree*, but later in the day there was a slightly upward trend. The stormy conditions continued through the night, and there were further heavy hailstorms this morning.

One redeeming feature yesterday was four hours and one minute of sunshine.

there was a fall of .otiin of rain for the 24 hours' period to nine o'clock this morning, and there has been 2.14 in of lain for the month so far. The average for August is 4.20 in. Minor Troubles. Neither the Auckland Electric Power Hoard nor the Waitemata Electric Power Board has met with any troubles, but the Post, and 'telegraph Department had some minor difficulties. At Mount Albert a tree fell across telephone wires and caused interruption, and there was telephonic interruption in the Epsom distiict through a telephone pole carrying away near the intersection of Gillies Avenue and Ranfurlv Road.

Exceptionally high seas are running on the West Coast, and to-day the Manukau bar was unworkable. It was' described as breaking for a mile out to sea and ns far south as could be seen from the signal station at South Head.

No vessels are due at the Manukau to-day. The auxiliary vessel Tiri sailed from Onehunga for Hokianga and crossed outwards early on Saturday evening.