NO BREAK IN HEAT WAVE

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25725, 10 February 1949, Page 4

NO BREAK IN HEAT WAVE

110 DEGREES AT WHITEROCK HOT WEATHER AGAIN PREDICTED For the first time since Saturday there was a temperature of less than 90 degrees in Christchurch yesterday. The maximum temperature recorded at the Christchurch Magnetic Observatory shortly after noon was 86.3 degrees and the heat was moderated a little in the afternoon by a light north-east wind. In the country out of the range of the sea breeze, however, temperatures were higher, with 110 degrees at Whiterock. There is still no sign of a break in the heat wave. The Weather Office, Wellington, reported last evening that no change could be expected to-day and that theYe were no indications of any definite change on Friday. Temperatures have remained high in Central Otago, 85 degrees being recorded at Alexandria and 83 degrees at Taieri. Light rain fell in North Otago during the day, but temperatures were high. In the North Island the weather is clearing, but it is still cloudy about 100 miles north of Cook Strait. During Tuesday night the temperature at Christchurch dropped to 60.3 4 a.m., but between 7 and 8 a.m. it had risen to 70 degrees and at 11 o’clock to 81 degrees. The temperature remained over 80 degrees until nearly 6 p.m. Humidity was a little higher in the afternoon but it was much lower than usual. The average percentage of humidity during February is about 70, but at noon yesterday it was only 46. The highest temperature recorded at the Meteorological Office, Wigram, yesterday, was 91 degrees after 1 p.m. The temperature at midnight was 76.2 degrees. Three successive days on which the temperature has exceeded 90 degrees have nqver before been recorded in Christchurch. On December 16 and 17, 1915, the temperature exceeded 90 degrees, but dropped again the next day. Almost 100 hours- of bright sunshine have been recorded during the first nine days of this month and this has probably never been exceeded. Temperature and Sunshine Maximum temperatures and hours of bright sunshine in Christchurch each day since the heat wave began, are given in the table below.

About midday yesterday Christchurch City Council water carts sprayed the main streets in the city. The water soon evaporated but the temperature was appreciably lower. Most men still went about the town in their shirt-sleeves and last evening thousands again visited the beaches. Some firms allowed employees time off to visit the baths, and the manager of one firm filled a 400-gal-lon tank with water and allowed employees a “dip’’ on frequent occasions. The weather is having a serious effect on tomato crops, which are drying rapidly. A number of county councils have invoked the Forest and Rural Fires Act to prohibit the lighting of fires in their districts and most borough councils in Canterbury have restricted the use of water. No serious fires have yet been reported. At Whiterock, yesterday, the temperature reached a peak of 110 degrees at 2.30 p.m., and later in the afternoon dropped to 109 degrees. At the Homestead, Loburn, at 3 p.m., the temperature was 103 degrees, but between then and 3.15 p.m. the wind dropped and the thermometer ,rose to 105 degrees. At Rangiora, a temperature of 94 degrees was recorded in a grain store during the morning, but the highest temperature recorded by Mr G. C. Beattie, who has a thermometer set up under proper conditions, was 87 degrees. At Ashburton there was a temperature of 90.6 degrees. Light showers fell at Timaru late yesterday afternoon and heavier rain fell in the evening. The rain stopped at midnight, and the temperature was still high. The, highest temperature at Leeston since the heat wave began was 98 degrees on Sunday.

AIR SERVICE CANCELLED ON WEST COAST For the second consecutive day, because of foggy weather south of Nelson, the air service between Wellington, Nelson, and Westport was cancelled yesterday, and intending passengers were conveyed by bus from and to Westport. Since Saturday the weather at Westport has been dull and humid with fog at times, bringing the range of visibility down to a few hundred yards. OPPRESSIVE WEATHER IN AUCKLAND “Tlie Press” Special Service AUCKLAND, February 9. Auckland for the last few days has been experiencing the oppressive heat usually/ associated with February, and the maximum temperature yesterday was 78.3 degrees, the highest for the month. The highest for the years was 79.2 degrees recorded on January 3. Humidity, which reached the peak of the year of 99 per cent, on Sunday, eased yesterday to 92 per cent.

Maximum Hours temperatures of Degrees. Sunshine Mon., Jan. 31 .. 79 12.30 Tues., Feb. 1 .. 81.2 13.0 Wed., Feb. 2 .. 77.0 13.0 Thurs.. Feb . 3 .. 73.8 11.48 Fri.. Feb. 4 .. 85.1 6.6 Sat., Feb.'5 .. 87.3 4.30 Sun., Feb. 6 .. 91 13.12 Mon., Feb. 7 .. 93.7 13.30 Tuos., Feb. 8 .. 93.5 12.30 Wed., Feb. fl .. 86.3 12.0