FINE GOOD FRIDAY

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28553, 5 April 1958, Page 12

FINE GOOD FRIDAY

Southerly Gale At Night After a night of heavy rain and strong gales from the south, Good Friday was fine, -with-'' sunshine from about 9 a.m., in North Canterbury. The storm broke a long spell of warm, sunny weather, marred by occasional days of high winds. With the abrupt ending of the gale and a favourable weather forecast for the rest of the day, many motorists were on the roads from about 9 o’clock heading for holiday and sporting places. Petrol stations were busy. For most citizens, however, Good Friday was quiet. Few organised sporting events, of which a long list will be followed for the rest of the Easter week-end if "the good weather holds, were held yesterday. From 8 p.m. on Thursday until 8 a.m. on Good Friday, 131 points* of rain fell at the Christchurch airport. The rain was light about 5.30 p.m. and ceased, but from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. .4in fell, and .41 in was recorded in the next two hours. The fall was ’ heavy, of 15 points, between midnight and 1 a.m., and eased until another heavy fall was recorded between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. The wind developed from the south, and between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. it shook Christchurch, a gale of 47 miles an hour being recorded at. 9.50 o’clock. The force gradually decreased with the veer to the south-west, but _at 4.20 a.m. a gust of 35 miles an hour, or a fresh gale, was blowing Before daybreak the wind eased and was down, to a gentle breeze, except. fbr z one spell of a moderate breeze of 12 miles an hdur, after which the sky to the southwest cleared and the sun broke through. Easter Day can fall at the earliest on March 22 and at the latest on April 25. Next year it will fall on March 29, in 1960 on April 17, in 1961 on April 2, and in 1962 on April 22. In 1973 and 1984 it will also fall on April 22.