WINTRY WEATHER

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21465, 6 May 1935, Page 10

WINTRY WEATHER

SNOW ON THE HILLS YESTERDAY

RAIN, HAIL, SLEET, AND WIND

The sunshine of a pleasant autumn dav and all the elements of winterrain, hail, sleet 1 , and snow and a driving southerly wind—upset the plans of many people for the weekend. The sunshine came first, and being almost as perfect as may be expected at this time of the year, encouraged those people who had planned to, spend the long week-end away from home. _ But the wintry elements which followed combined to make the weather so unpleasant that the appeal of the fireside was strong, and more than a few people, especially campers and trampers, .abandoned their holiday, or part of [it, in favour of home. The snow was the first of the season, and although \t fell on practically all the high countrv in the province, very little fell in the plains. Few places, however, escaped the showers of hail and rain and sleet; and the south-west wind which blew all day yesterday was biting. A Fine Day Saturday dawned with a frost of 5.5 degrees, but early in the morning the wind began to blow from the north-west. It continued all day, in some places being a little blustery, but generally being nothing more than a fairly strong breeze. The sun was shining from a cloudless sky and the day was indeed pleasant. Many people set out on tramping and bicycle trips, and there was a more or less continuous stream of motor-cars leaving the city by the main roads in the afternoon.

But the promise which the clay had held out for the week-end was not to be realised. Early in the evening, the wind veered to the south-west and blew violently. Soon rain was falling, and then a few showers of hail and sleet. And when Canterbury awoke yesterday morning it was to find itself hemmed in by snow. The alps on one side were well covered, and on the other side the hills all had their summits buried. Some had wedges of snow in .valleys which were quite low. and on the Cashmere Hills the face below Mount Sugarloaf was covered for a few hours in the morning. But the snow in most places could be said to be only a reminder that winter had. actually begun. Most people had only a glimpse of it in the distance; their main concern wa. to keep out of the wind, which was verv strong and bitterly cold. The fall on the lower country seems to have been heaviest on Banks Peninsula. It could be seen from Lyttelton to be a fair depth or; Mount Herbert all day, and near the r Hilltop it was two and three inches deep. The hillsides round Akaroa were covered to a fairly low level. Holiday-makers Return Just as there had been a stream of motor-cars leaving the city on Saturday afternoon, there was a stream returning all day yesterday. The wind was stronger in the country than it was in the town and seemed, if it were possible, to be colder. Camping was anything but pleasant, and the hardy people who stayed under canvas last night were in a minority. Several parlies of trampers returned to the city last evening. Those who had been on the hills said they had had some excellent views of the snow, but the wind was too cold and 100 strong to make tramping worth while. However, there was at least one section of the community which, if it did not enioy yesterday's weather, reaped benefit from it. The people in that section were the duck shooters. It was reported last evening that some good bags had been obtained from Kaituna and other places round Lake Ellesmere from which the birds fly for shelter in south-westerly weather. Some of the smaller ponds and other places which need a north-easterly wind to disturb the ducks did not yield such good bags.

In Various Districts Not a great deal of rain fell in the country' on Saturday night and yesterday, but there were several showers of sleet and hail. Farmei-s in some districts could do with a good downpour of rain, for it would soften the grasslands for ploughing. Others are not anxious for rain, as they fear it might burst newlysown grain. However, it is not anticipated that the week-end weather will affect farmers in any way. Rain fell at Cheviot on Saturday night, but there was none yesterday, although a shower of hail fell in the afternoon. Snow was lying along the Lowry Peaks yesterday morhing. A few heavy showers of rain fell early on Saturday evening at Hawarden, and there was snow all round the hills. There was no rain or snow yesterday, but the wind was bitterly cold. There was nothing more than a shower or two of hail at Waipara, although there, too, the wind was very cold. Snow fell at Oxford overnight, and there were a few flakes at midday yesterday. The rain recording n r 9 a.m. yesterday was 50 points. Lees Valley had about half an inch of snow. Practically no rain fell at Hororata, but there were several showers of sleet on Saturday night. The Malvern Hills had a little snow on them yesterday. Snow was also lying on the hills round Leeston. Rain fell at Leeston on Saturday night, and there were also one or two showers yesterday. The rain was very heavy at Akaroa on Saturday night, and yesterday rain, hail, sleet, and snow fell all day. It was still hailing last evening and seemed likely to continue. Rangiora had some heavy rain, with a few snow showers, early yesterday morning. Further south, at Ashburton and Timaru and surrounding districts, heavy rain fell on Saturday night, and yesterday was bitterly cold. Showei's of rain, hail, and sleet fell in the city all day yesterday, and the wind blew strongly from the south-west. SNOW IN TARANAKI ,1-iItSS ASSOCIATION TELJSGUAiI.> NEW PLYMOUTH, May 5. An extensive snowfall occurred during the week-end in districts surrounding the mountain. A light