CANTERBURY WEATHER

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14400, 6 July 1912, Page 3

CANTERBURY WEATHER

TO THE EDITOR OF "TltE PRESS." Sir, —Tho . interesting discussion on Canterbury weather now being carried o;i in your columns is not- only valuable in itself as a means of elucidating certain recognised conditions, but also to tho community "as a whole. As regards forecasting' the weather, some students of nor'-wester phenomena claim to havo reduced the .subject almost to an exact science. About ten years ago a letter appeared in the daily ••press," signed "A Farmers' Fricid," which briefly summarised tho observations of the pre-! yious fourteen years. These accuniu- j : iated results amounted almost to a for- 1 j inula, indicating the kind of weather to• I be experienced during the succeeding ; : spring, summer, and autumn. Having j cut this letter out at the time of pub- j - lication, tho quotations therefrom are < '■ strictly accurate. Both sets of deduc- j tions apply to study of the nor'-westers | during tho latter half of July and the j first, part of August m any year. "First.—v Should the nor'-westers j j change within forty eight hours to tho j sou-west, and bring rain, it is an ui-j j dication cf fine seasons, or ample rain- i j fall, and the greatest rainfall will take j place about the ending of spring and! tho beginning of summer, and the be- j ginning of autumn. j '_ "Secondly.—Should the nor'-westers '•low incessantly for three or more days, j md die out, or change to the sou-west j 'lid bring a dry s-ou -wester, it is an} indication of dry seasons." I The letter-goes on to say that Sir j James Hector had forecasted the pre-j yimis summer to he a dry one, whereas! it war; a good one, as oxpoc'cd by the! writer in accordance witli his personal j deductions. i As the period h so close at hand! for this fascinating branch of weather study, perhaps this contribution to

your symposium may stimulate attention in ine phenomena involved.

Even the unscientific observer can collect data which may-b? useful in tho present, state of inexactitude. In conclusion, may 1 express entire? concurrence with the objection of "OH Identity to the phrase "nor'-west arch." The term is a misnomer, carelessly applied, arid as carelessly continued in use. but "horizontal" "is not «atibfactory either. '"Curve" expresses tho appearance exactly, and 1 hope that this term may be- used in future. This exquisitely curved sweep outlining pure tracts ot sky in the most delicate shades of liqui-.l light is a local phenomenon of_ exceptional beauty. Yet it is tho lifted curtain preceding the presently opposing clash of clemeural forces, sometimes with the play ending in ono of Nature's tragedies.— Yours, etc.. Jyly o. M.B.