SNOW AND RAIN.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20027, 8 September 1930, Page 10

SNOW AND RAIN.

SEVERE WEATHER YESTERDAY. EFFECT UPON LAMBING. Romarkably severe weather conditions for the spring of the year obtained throughout Canterbury yesterday. Snow, sleet, hail, and rain alternated throughout the day, with occasional breaks of sunshine. Thero was a thunderstorm at Oxford. On the nioro exposed farms of North Canterbury, lambing will be affected considerably, but in Mid-Canterbury, where tho season is later, tho unexpected return of winter will do little harm. Early September is often cold and wet, but yesterday's storm, accompanied by very low temperatures, was the most severe for this season, in a number of years. Shipping arrivals were delayed at Lyttelton yesterday, tho terry steamer berthing two and threequarter hours behind her usual time, after a vory rough passage. In the City the cold, Out dry sou'wester that prevailed during the week developed into rain, haii, and ligfit snow on Friday night. Ou Satuiitay morning tho weather was cloudy but towards noon tho sun shone through and lasted until about 3 p.m., when showers commenced to fall again. In the evening the gusts became more frequent and throughout tho night a heavy wind blew, bringing with it rain, hail, sleet, and snow. Yesterday morning there was no abatement, and at intervals between 9 a.m. and noon, thick flakes of snow fell, but thero was insufficient to cover the ground. From 2 p.m. onwards rain showers and sunshine alternated, but tho wind maintained its force and was bitterly cold. The Cashmere Ilills were snow-coated on tho upper slopes. Country Districts Suffer. Tho Amberley district was visited by boisterous weather throughout the weekend. At 1 p.m. yesterday heavy snow fell, but tho ground was too wet for it to lie for long, although the surrounding hills were well covered. Newborn lambs suffered considerably, and it is expected that thero will be a high percentage of deaths in the back country. Although this is early for lambing, many sets of twins have been born, and, lacking the vitality of single births, they suffer to a greater extent. At 5 p.m. yesterday blue sky appeared, but the strong sou'-wester continued. Saturday night was stormy and cold at Cheviot, and the wind brought sleet and snow at intervals. Tho snow did not collect on the ground on account of the heavy rain that had preceded it, and by 5 p.m. yesterday the weather was clear, but with no cessation of the wind, and a still ominous sky. In this district lambing is not yet general and so far very few deaths havo been reported. Wheat Sowings Unaffected. Darfield has experienced bitterly cold weather throughout tho week-end with a slight snowfall yesterday. Indications last evening were for a heavy fall. It is expected that few lambs will be affected as tho season is not yet advanced to any extent. Wheat lias just been planted and will not be affected by hail or rain. Only six points of rain fell at Hororata between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. yesterday, sunlight and snowfalls alternating throughout the day. Very little snow was lying in the township and late in the afternoon the wind had dropped considerably. Very heavy snow fell on the Malvern Hills and at Lako Coleridge. Members of a City golf clnb were hady enough to visit Ilororata yesterday and play a match. There was very little rain at Methven yesterday but the weather was exceedingly cold and bleak, with occasional falls of snow, alternating with short periods of sunlight. Lambing is fairly general, one farmer having 400 by yesterday, but tho effect of tho weather on the lambs will not be known until this afternoon. At one period of the day half an inch of snow was lying on the ground but it thawed rapidly. Rangiora experienced a very heavy gust of sleet nnd snow between noon and 1 p.m. yesterday. There was a little sunshine and the temperature was very low. Thero are a good many lambs on the various farms in the district, but no great losses are expected. Snowfall at Omthi Saddle. Apparently tho Omihi Saddle and neighbourhood fared the worst in North Canterbury. Snow lay heavy on the ground yesterday afternoon and a car, which was making its way from Christchurch to Kaikoura, had to be stopped several times to allow tho driver to wipe the snow from the windscreen. Kaikoura experienced heavy rain on Saturday, but yesterday morning only a few showers fell. Oxford had the experience of thunder alternating with snow, rain, and hail. Up to last evening there had been little visible effect upon lambs, but tho night was expected to be more severe, as indications wore for heavy snow. In tho back country tho snow is very thick. Intermittent showers fell in Waiau on Saturday niglit and the sou'-wester gained in strength yesterday, accompanied by sleet and snow. Tho ranges were heavily coated and it is anticipated that lambs will suffer considerably, as they arc now numerous in many parts of the district. At Hawarden the hills are thickly sprinkled with snow but, in common with most other districts, tho fall was not heavy enough to lie for long. At 6.45 p.m. yesterday tho sky had cleared but the sou'-west quarter gave promise of a heavy snowfall. Shipping Delayed. V fierce and bitterly cold southerly gale blew at Lyttelton on Saturday afternoon and increased in violence on Saturday night and yesterday morning. It was accompanied by rain, hail, and sleet, with snow on the higher levels about the harbour. « The arrival of shipping was delayed. Tho Maori did not arrive until 9.25 a.m., about two and three-quarter hours behind her usual time. She experienced au exceedingly rough passage, with heavy head seas right up to Lyttelton Heads. Two of the Union Company's coastal steamers which were due yesterday are thought to have taken shelter. Some small steamers which left Lyttelton on Saturday afternoon for Dunedin would probably have to shelter in one of tho Banks Peninsula bays until yesterday afternoon.