LOW BAROMETER READING

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22610, 16 January 1939, Page 10

LOW BAROMETER READING

RECORD SINCE 1902

STRONG NORTH-WEST GALE SOUTHERLY WINDS, RAIN AND HAIL PREDICTED The lowest barometer reading since the Christchurch Magnetic Observatory was established in 1902 was recorded at 10.15 yesterday morning, with the barometer at 28.387 in. The weather was marked by a severe north-west gale, which began in the morning, and after sweeping over Canterbury in hot, dry gusts throughout the day, calmed down to a light, cool wind in the evening. The wind caused one serious accident, when it tore a branch from a poplar at the girl guides’ camp at New Brighton, causing severe injuries to a girl of 13. Otherwise, though it caused minor damage in gardens it did not appear to have any serious effects. It was thought unlikely that wheat had been injured to any extent, and it was reported that there had been no damage to commercial fruit crops in the areas near Christchurch. The wind was strong enough to blow down a large tree at Scafieid, whore it fell across power lines. Four poles were blown down in the same district. Trees were also blown down in several plantations, but the damage was not great considering the force ox tiie wind. Bad Conditions Expected

The record low level of the barometer yesterday morning was preceded by a sharp drop, which began on Saturday. Throughout yesterday and till after midnight the barometer was un--1 steady at a low level, and the official forecasts indicated very bad weather, with south-westerly gales, cold and showery conditions, with hail in places, and snow showers on the mountains in Canterbury and Marlborough. A gradual improvement, however, was mentioned. The forecast for the West Coast was similar, and the Dominion forecast stated that there was an exceedingly deep cyclone centred just to the east of Central Otago, where the barometer reached the phenomenally low level of 28.35 in. ■ Atmosphere Changes Yesterday’s weather was marked by sudden changes in atmospheric conditions. The rapid change from a strong north-easterly to a strong northwesterly wind about 10.15 a.m., was followed by a big decrease in the moisture content of the atmosphere. At noon it was only three-fifths of what it was at 9 a.m. The degree of humidity decreased from 67 per cent, at 9 a.m. to only 35 per cent, at noon. The change was evident, and the extreme dryness during the afternoon was noticed by many people. Late in the evening the weather became cool, however, and the wind, still from the north-west, could scarcely be felt. The previous minimum record of the barometer in Christchurch did not occur, as on this occasion, in the middle of summer, but in the middle of winter, on July 6, 1936, when the reading was 28.43 in. STRONG GALE IN WELLINGTON WIND REACHES SIXTY MILES AN HOUR WELLINGTON, January 15. Extraordinarily changeable and unpleasant weather during most of the week-end in Wellington included a gale-with gusts reaching 60 miles an hour. The weather coincided with unusual conditions in other parts of New Zealand. A record low barometer reading was reported to the Meteorological Office from Tairoa Heads, Otago, at midday to-day. The pressure was 28.35 inches. It was a record for that station, but was not a record for the Dominion, a reading of 28.31 inches having been taken at Bluff on July 6. 1936. In Wellington the glass fell to 28.65 inches at 3.30 p.m., but the record of March 6, 1871, 28.59 inches, still stands. LOW READINGS IN SOUTHLAND BAROMETER FALLS TO RECORD LEVEL (RSE.SS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) INVERCARGILL, January 15. After falling steadily for several days, the barometer at the Awarua radio station registered 28.319 inches at 6.30 o’clock this evening. This is believed ta be a record lor Southland. At Garston, which is 1000 feet above sea level, the barometer registered 27.77 inches, the lowest ever recorded, but that barometer is set at sea-leve], i and no allowance is being made for altitude.