WELCOME RAIN

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25427, 25 February 1948, Page 6

WELCOME RAIN

FALLS ON TWO NIGHTS DRY CONDITIONS RELIEVED Accompanied by thunder and lightning in some areas, heavy rain from the south-west was experienced in most parts of Canterbury last but it eased off to light drizzle ana cleared up after a few hours. Following a general fall the previous night the rain has relieved the effects of weeks of dry weather. There was bail in some areas, but it was not heavy enough to do any damage to gardens.# Damage to crops will be negligible as harvesting is almost over. Up to midnight, when the sky was clearing, the fall was .68 inches in Christchurch.

fyX Timaru there was a heavy shower about 4.45 p.m., but it lasted only an hour and a half. Rain the previous night continued until early yesterday morning, and 98 points were registered. Ashburton had a heavy shower, and at Methven about 38 points fell between 6.30 and 9.30. Darfield had an exceptionally heavy downpour, with hail and minor flooding, but the parched ground quickly soaked up the surplus water. “It will do a lot of good, and coupled with the rain we had last night, will freshen up the country considerably,” said a Darfield tarmer. “Most of the harvesting is through, except for linseed, and that will not come to harm. There are a few pea crops to come in. but they will probably dry out, and most of the barley is in the bag.” At Mount Torlesse 1.25 inches fell on Monday night and a heavy t iunderstorm broke last evening about 7 o’clock. It was accompanied by heavy hail. It was expected that the country would benefit by the extent of another inch of rain by the time the rain eased nff. At Cheviot 67 points fell on Monday evening, but the ground was still parched, and none had fallen at 10 p.m. yesterday. “We had 30 to 40 points last evening, and it has freshened things up considerably, but it does not look like rain to-night, said a Waiau farmer.