CROPS DAMAGED AT OXFORD

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22591, 22 December 1938, Page 8

CROPS DAMAGED AT OXFORD

Heavy Thunderstorm .Yesterday

HAIL DESTROYS SIDE OF GLASSHOUSE

A heavy thunderstorm from the south-east broke over the Oxford district about 1 p.m. yesterday. It was preceded by an exceptionally heavy hailstorm. The hailstones were described by residents as jagged pieces of ice, the largest being about the size of a golf ball.

In the "Warren district the storm was accompanied by a whirlwind, which caused considerable damage. Two telephone poles were snapped off close to the ground, heavy branches of trees were broken off and hurled high in the air, and some crops were partly ruined by the whirlwind, which seemed to be confined to a width of > about 10 chains.

At Carleton, Mr A. E. Cross was a heavy loser. The whole of one side of his glasshouse, containing 120 panes of glass, was destroyed by the hail, and 15 panes in his house were shattered. Reinforced skylights on some of the outbuildings were also shattered by the hail. His crops were extensively damaged, about twothirds of one paddock of oats being ruined. A second storm broke about 6 p.m., with torrential rain and hail. The rainfall recorded at Carleton was 1.18 inches from 1 o'clock, neither storm lasting any longer than half an hour. The. ground was white* with hailstones. The weather at. Methven .was threatening all day; but no rain fell until about 5 p.m., when a thunderstorm broke over the district. The -electric power failed at 5.30 p.m., and was not switched on again until about 8 o'clock. The storm lasted for an hour and a half and 44 points of rain were recorded. No damage was reported. .