DRY WEATHER IN CANTERBURY

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27498, 4 November 1954, Page 12

DRY WEATHER IN CANTERBURY

Rain Badly Needed By Fanners

LIGHT SHOWERS ON TUESDAY. NIGHT "Everywhere but Christchurch,” was the rain report given by the weather office at Harewood airport at 9 a.m. yesterday. The overnight showers were not heavy, and the weather cleared again in most places during the morning, but it was at least a freshener to parched farmlands over a wide area of the South Island. Arthur’s Pass had the best fall, .3in; Culverden, .lin; Cheviot, .2in; Akaroa, .06in; Timaru, .lin; Oamaru, .2in; and much of Otago and Southland .25in. It was still drizzling at Lake Coleridge, Hororata, and Fairlie early yesterday morning. A weak cold front brought the rain from the south during the night, but an anti-cyclone was extending on to the South Island yesterday, with prospects of more fair weather. In Christchurch, another period of ‘absolute drought” is approaching—ls consecutive days with .Olin of rain. This condition .existed from September 26 to October 20 inclusive. On October 21, there was a light fall of rain, and then .18in on October 23. The last 10 days without rain and prospects of clear weather suggest that by the week-end an absolute drought may again exist. Town Gardens Affected The information that October was the second sunniest on record and that the rainfall was also one of the lowest brought no satisfaction to farmers, and most town dwellers also are finding their gardens so dry that heavy rain would be generally welcomed. In the country, the drought is fast approaching a critical stage. The light rainfall on Tuesday night was of only token benefit. Although pasture cover has been sufficient so far to maintain new season’s lambs, it seems certain that farmers will get drafts away to the works as soon as possible, as any gain in fattening would not compensate for the loss of precious feed. Along the coastal strip of Canterbury, east of the railway, the subsoil is still drying out, and property holders look with foreboding towards the summer.

October’s rainfall recorded at North Loburn was .82in, compared with 3.28 in in October last year. At Geraldine, .95m fell, compared with 3.15 in. Even along the Main South road the rough growth is almost as dry as is usual in January. Apart from its implications for farmers, this has caused much earlier emphasis than usual on the Are danger, and fordstrv organisations have their look-outs manned and their fire-fighting services fully mobilised.

Autumn-sown crops have gained a little from the odd falls of rain, but the growth of all spring crops has slowed down considerably and rain is needed urgently.