SNOW AND HEAVY FROSTS

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22112, 7 June 1937, Page 10

SNOW AND HEAVY FROSTS

Southerly Storm In The Province SEVERAL ROADS BLOCKED Although the greater part of the olains in the province was untouched by the storm of the week-end. very heavy falls of snow covered the ground inches deep in some foothill areas, and heavy frosts were'recorded. Roads in several districts were blocked, and the snow on the ranges and hills was thick. The brunt of the southerly was borne in North Canterbury. At Hanmer Springs between six and eight inches of snow covered the flats, and several inches lay in the township on Saturday, while snow was lying 10 or more inches deep at Lewis Pass. Waiau, too, felt the force of the southerly. The surrounding areas were covered four inches deep, the township escaping with a sprinkling. There was a frost of 25.3 degrees at Hanmer, and a very severe frost at Waiau. Culverden, further out on the plans, escaped. Lake Coleridge suffered from a frost of 10 to 12 degrees yesterday also, and the hills behind the settlement were white right down to the riverbed level from snow which fell on Friday night. Five inches fell at Arthur's Pass and three at Cass, the wind yesterday, a north-wester, being intensely cold. Nc roads were blocked there yesterday, although earlier in the week-end Porter's Pass was impassable to traffic. Roads near Akaroa, however, were in places impassable even yestreday, 12 inches of snow making an effective barrier to motor traffic. Reports were that the Le Bon's Bay road was beneath more than a foot of snow at the higher points. Other parts of the peninsula were sprinkled on both Friday night and Saturday night. The peaks of the hills were covered and the snow could be seen yesterday still lying thickly. Out on the plains, from Methven, Springfield, Hororata, and across to the Port hills, little snow fell, though heavy rain came early in the week end. A squally wind rose to considerable force at times. The coastal motor-ship, Gale, en route from Wellington to Bluff, put into Lyttelton on Saturday for shelter, and the steamer Wahine was delayed an hour on the trip from Wellington on Saturday night. SLIP ON GREYMOUTHWESTPORT ROAD TRAFFIC DELAYED FOR ABOUT FIVE HOURS ITHE PRESS Special Service.! GREYMOUTH, June 6. Approximately 50 motor-cars were held up yesterday by a slip which had come down during Friday night at Batty's Hill, at the Twelve-Mile, on the Greymouth-Westport Coast road. The stormy weather during the night was the cause of the slip. The service cars were delayed, and passengers had to be transferred at the slip. A gang of roadmen began clearing the debris at 11 a.m., and the road was open again at 3.55 p.m. HEAVY FALL OF SNOW AT DUNEDIN CITY PLUNGED IN DARKNESS (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) DUNEDIN, June 5. Dunedin had its first taste of winter overnight when a heavy snowfall began and continued until this afternoon. The roads in Otago are not so far seriously affected. During the peak of the fall last evening the electrical service was interrupted and the city was plunged in darkness for 10 minutes. The weather was still cold and unsettled this afternoon, with more snow threatening. SNOW IN SOUTHLAND

BITTER COLD SINCE FRIDAY

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) INVERCARGILL. June 6. The weather has been bitterly cold in Southland with snow in some parts since Friday. There was eight inches of snow at Lumsden yesterday morning, one car being stuck in the snow in the main street of the township. There was more than 12 inches of snow in the road between Lumsden and Five Rivers, and the road to Queenstown was blocked at Athol. Gore and the surrounding district were also covered with snow yesterday. There has been practically no snow in Invercargill, the weather yesterday afternoon being fine, although it was cold and stormy to-day.