RAIN CONTINUES IN PROVINCE

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22592, 23 December 1938, Page 10

RAIN CONTINUES IN PROVINCE

RECORD FALL AT METHVEN TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING POINT Heavy rain fell in Canterbury yesterday afternoon and continued throughout the night. In the Methven district there were heavy falls of hail, and snow fell on the higher levels, reaching almost to the bases of the mountains. The minimum temperature on the grass in this district was 28 degrees at 5 p.m., temperatures remaining cold all night.

The rainfall for the year to date at Methven is 54.15 inches, the highest rainfall since records have been kept. Yesterday 92 points of rain were recorded, 53 points on Wednesday, and 31 points on the previous day.

An exceptionally heavy shower of rain fell at Akaroa at 6.30 p.m., recording 30 points in a quarter of an hour. Intermittent showers continued during the evening, with cool temperatures. The weather in the early part of the day was fair to fine, with periods of warm sunshine in Christchurch, but later in the afternoon rain became fairly general in most parts of Canterbury. Particularly heavy showers fell in Mid-Canterbury, with severe electrical storms in some places, and snow in the high country. The Waimakann river was two feet above the normal level yesterday, heavy rain having fallen in the headwaters; but there were no indications of any serious flooding. Other rivers in North Canterbury were scarcely affected, the rain, though steady, being lighter in this part of the province.

RAINFALL AT GREYMOUTH

MOST FOR TWENTY-EIGHT

YEARS

ONLY TWO FINE DAYS THIS MONTH

[THE PRESS Special Service.] GREYMOUTH, December 22. Not for 28 years has Greymouth experienced a year wetter than this year. So far this year, there have been 203 wet days with a total rainfall of 118.49 inches, to 9 a.m. to-day. In 1910, the total fall was 125.89 inches. Over the last 10 years, the average rainfall has been 92.97 inches, and the average number of wet days for a year has been 184. The total falls for the last 10 years have been:—l 937, 91.35 inches; 1936, 96.63 inches; 1935, 91.37 inches; 1934, 86.09 inches: 1933, 103.26 inches; 1932, 80.16 inches; 1931, 114 inches; 1930, 73.18 inches; 1929, 93.78 inches; and 1923, 89.46 inches.

There have been only two fine daj r s during this month, and the total fall for 20 days has been 13.69 inches, the highest fall during December since 1929, when 15.07 inches fell on 23 days. The worst previous December was in 1904, when 12.39 inches fell. For the last 10 years the average fall in December has been 7.5 inches, and the average number of wet days 14.5. During the last 10 years, rainfall during December has been as follows: —1937, 6.10 inches; 1936, 10.11 inches; 1935, 4.26 inches; 1934, 1.63 inches; 1933, 14.06 inches; 1932, .7.26 inches; 1931, 7.21 inches; 1930, 2.87 inches; 1929, 15.07 inches, and 1928, 6.75 inches. Heavy rain fell again to-day, in addition to a hail storm in the morning, but this afternoon there were glimpses of sunshine.