WARM RAINS.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15173, 11 January 1915, Page 5

WARM RAINS.

Except for a few infrequent breaks of short duration. Christchurch has experienced an almost continuous and exceptional spell of fine, dry weather since the middle of the winter and the spring was one of the driest on record. Since the New Year, however, tho conditions havo changed, and last week rain threatened on several occasions, the weather being very dull at times, but only occasional light showers fell, until on Friday night a steady rain set in and continued all day Saturday with ono or two brief intervals during the afternoon. There was an almost entire absenco of wind and frequently tho rain increased to a heavy downpour. What littlo wind there was varied between east and south-west, and though there wore indications of a clearance towards the evening, rain set in again from tho south-west and tho wind increasing, there was a further fall during the night As the weather has been warm the rain will do an immense amount of good to pastures, grass, rape, and turnip crops, and gardens, .and should benefit to some extent the late cereal crops, thoueh it is too late to materially affect the harvest. Yesterday the weather was dull, but in the morning there were prospects of a. return to fine weather. However, black rain-clouds came up from the east, and early in the afternoon a light drizzling rain set in, and continued for a few hours, there being practically no wind. Though the rain ceased the weather remained dull and threatening, and there Were no signs of a break during the afternoon. A week of. fino w r eather following the downpour would have a most beneficial effect, as a continuance of misty, warm weather would do more harm than good, on account of the fact that it would cause grain, not yet in stack, to sprout, and would also result in the appearance of blight.