THE WEATHER.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16848, 31 May 1920, Page 6

THE WEATHER.

A WINTRY WEEK-END. HEAVY PALLS OF BAIN AND HAIL. Mid-winter conditions of a decidedly severe and boisterous type prevailed in Christchurch during the week-end. In -he carlv hours of Saturday morning the weather broke, and a wind sprang up from tho south-west, wringing with it weather such as is seldom experienced in the month of May. Heaw rain fell at intervals in the morning, while almost continuous rain fell during the afternoon, intermingled with some particularly heavy showers of hail, while snow fell at frequent intervals, though not in sufficient volunio as to remain lving on the ground. The hailstones wore of considerable size, and conditions overhead and unuerloot wore oxtri.'. j'v iinploasuiitj but tlio\ were nothing to those obtaining later in the evening. The wind increased steadilv, until at times it resembled a miniature hurricane, while the ram ami hni* sliowors bccmno nioro numerous nnd sevorc. Tremendous penis of tliundor wore hoard ni short intervals, and lightning flashes lit up the sky iu an awesome and almost terrifying manner With such disagreeable conditions prevailing, an easy chair by a, comfortable fireside secnied tho best place m whir-h to spend the evening, but large numbers of peoplo, nevertheless wont to town, and fair business was done at all the placcs of amusement. Most or tho afternoon sports' fixtures were either postponed or abandoned. During tho thunderstorm, many people connected witn tho telepbono found that their instruments rang continuously, while several instances were recorded of people receiving slight shocks when standing under electric lights. In .most of the theatres, the electric lipht at times flickered badly, and gave indications of failing, but the power held out in practically every instance, though at ono theatro the performance during tho last few minutes was conducted in tho light of car.files and lanterns.

When day broke yostorday morning the Port Hills wero seen to bo covered with a thick mantle of snow and hail, while, on the levels, sholterod spots were incites deep in hail, the general appearance of tho town being rominiscent of a thaw after a snowstorm. The side-channels in various places in and about the city were not ablo to cope with tho volume of storm-water, with a Tesnlt that miniature floods were to he seen, while both the Hcathcote and the Avon rivers wero considerably swollen and muddy. Evidence of the previous night's gale was not wanting, numerous fences having been blown down and branches of trees brokeji, while tho hail had played havoc with glasshouses and verandahs. A bleak and very unpleasant southwester again blew throughout yesterday and last night, accompanied by heavy squalls at regular intervals. The sun made occasional efforts to break through the black, forbidding clouds, but met with little success, and the conditions generally wero just as unpleasant as those of Saturday. A rainfall of over two inches was recorded for the two days. At an early hour this morning the weather showed no si ens of clearing.

The fire alarm at'the corner of Madras street and St. Asaph street was set off by the lightning at 10.41 on Saturday night, and brought out tlio Fire Brigade. At Lyttelton, Friday's promise <f further bad weather was more than realised, and in the early hours of Saturday morning heavy showers of 6!eet and hail fell. Daylight revealed, t.lie hills on both sides of the harbour liberally sprinkled with snow, Mt. Herbert being we'l capped. The showers continued all day, accompanied in the afternoon and evening by vivid displays of sheet lightning. The wind was bitterly cold, and the thermometer in the afternoon was down to 40deg. A.t 10.45 in the evening the electric licht gave out and the town w-as plunged in darkness. With the exception of the ferry steamers, tho only movement of shipping on Saturday was the departure of the Monowai for Dunedin. The Karori, from Westport, was due in the afternoon, hut probably sheltered at Cape Campbell. Yesterday morning the weather cleared a little, although the wind blew harder than ever. In the afternoon sleet and snow again foil. The wind-gauge at the Adderley Head signal station showed an average wind velocity of 53.52 miles per hour for tho twenty-four hours ending 9 a.m. yesterday. Variable weather has been experienced throughout the month (writes our Oxford correspondent). Though r .he amount of rainfall has not been considerable, the number of cold, squally days has been great. Weather as cold as might be expccted in the depth of winter has boen experienced, and during the past few days bitincr winds havo b?en the order. In the early hours of Thursday morning a south-west eouall came up. with heavy rain for a short period. It is said that this squall was one of the most severe for many years. Friday morning was ushered in with loud peal"! of thunder, followed by snow. There is a fair sprinkling of snow on tho lower hills', while on the high country it is much heavier. Ttaro has been a good showing of autumn feed, and stock are entering tho winter in stood condition.

The rainfall at Kaiapoi during the storm period was 1.87 in.

A bitterly eo!d_ southerly wind blew at Ashburton during Snturdov and the greater part of yesterday. There was a heavy shower of snow nbnut 2 p.m. on Saturday, and intermittent showers of rain and" snow continued to fall till late at night, but the snow was not sufficiently heavy to lie on the ground. SHIPPING BUFFETED. The Maori did not arrive at Lyttelton yesterday until nearly 3 p.m. Captain Cameron states that she faced a fierce southerly gale all the way from Wellington to Lyttelton Heads. There was a big sea running in the Strait and the Maori was severely buffeted. Cape Campbell was not reached till 12.39 a.m., and Knikoura till G a.m. About noon, when off Motunau, they sighted another vessel, probably the Karori, making very heavy weather cf it. Hail and sleel fell incessantly, and the trip was one of the worst in his experience. The Karori arrived shortly after five o'clock last night. She first en"ountercd the gale at 10 o'clock on Saturday morning, when off Kaikoura, and was plugging against it for 31 hours at an average speed of two and three-quarter knots. Some of her deck carco broke loose, bnt otherwise she was little the worse for her rough passage.

SNOW IN THE SOUTH.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TF.T.EOnAM.) DtTXEmv

j\inv 3U. Severe weather has prevailed here during the past three days. The temperature is very low Snow has fallen nil over the province, arid heavy falls me reported from the high country. On Saturday, at 4 p.m., eighteen inches was lying in Arrcrrtown, and it v.-an then snowing heavily. At Cromwell there was very little snow on the flats, but the purrounding hills have received a heavy coating. On the low lands in the Uppper Ciutha district snow is lying to a depth of six inches. In the Kingston, Garston ; and Athol districts a heavy fall has been experienced. Conditions show no sign of improvement.