SOUTHERLY STORM IN CANTERBURY

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28699, 24 September 1958, Page 12

SOUTHERLY STORM IN CANTERBURY

More Rain Needed To Relieve Drought

A southerly storm brought rain to most parts of Canterbury yesterday afternoon. Although of some help to farmers, the rain was hardly sufficient to break the drought conditions persisting in most areas of the province. In some places there were light falls of snoW.

Little more than half an inch of rain fell in the coastal districts and inland plains area between Ashburton and Christchurch, while to the south and north of this area the fail was a good deal less. The foothills districts experienced little rain, but snow fell to low levels in the late afternoon.

The rain and snow have done a little to alleviate the dry conditions, which were becoming very serious in North Canterbury and Banks Peninsula, and to lessen the rapidly-growing fire risk on the Canterbury plains. Conditions may be improved still more if the weather forecast of a possible further southwest change today, bringing showers, proves correct.

Although welcome to farmers, the rain did not continue long enough to provide the steady, soaking fall necessary to break the drought. A fall of an inch or more is needed to bring relief to the coastal and lighterland areas of the province, and with the reserves of moisture at a low level after the prolonged dry spell during the winter and early spring, frequent falls will be needed during the growing season to build up these reserves Pastures will benefit most from a good rain. Much of the province’s grassland is showing green but it is exceptionally short, and can be expected to respond well to a good rainfall. For farmers with young lambs, wet and cold weather is never welcome but the rain probably came at a convenient in-between period for lambing—most of the plains lambing is now well advanced, and lambs should be able to withstand some bad weather; In the high country, the main lambing will have barely started yet. Farmers may not be so happy, however, where early shearing is in progress Storm From The South

The storm swept up from the south shortly after midday. The Waimate, Timaru, and Pleasant Point districts escaped the full force of the storm, only light showers falling, and a sprinkling of snow further inland, but it struck the Ashburton area about 1 p.m. with a short but heavy downpour of rain interspersed with hail. Light showers persisted in Mid-Canterbury for the rest of the afternoon. The rain came to Christchurch and areas to the north between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Inland from Christchurch, towards the Darfield, Waddington, Sheffield, and Oxford districts, a thunderstorm brought brief hail showers and rain, followed by snow. Up to 6 p.m., .53in had been recorded on a farm a few miles from Darfield, where about 2in of snow was lying in the late afternoon. Snow On Foothills The snow extended along the foothills to the Oxford area, where from 4 p.m. on it snowed heavily after rain showers. The snow fell until 7 p.m. when rain again began, although not so heavily. Snow lay down to Cust. although the fall was less heavy than on the hills. In Lees Valley and at View Hill and Coopers Creek, the hills were all well covered. Rangiora had little more than showers during the afternoon Heavy rain fell at Akaroa and over) Banks Peninsula about 2 p.m., and continued, although less heavily, until about 5.30 p.m Snow fell later, and lay down to 500 ft. The rain was particularly heavy at Hill Top, but the snow which followed there was not sufficient to interrupt traffic on the road. Banks Peninsula is particularly dry for this time of the year and at least three days of steady rain is needed to break the drought there, and start the spring flush of feed. Rain in Christchurch In < Christchurch, a fall of .57in was recorded at the Christchurch airport up to 7 p.m. After a sunny morning, the sky clouded over at midday, and temperatures became very cold, with rain threatening from the south-west. The rain, however, did not come until

just before 2 p.m., at first lightly, tut towards 3 p.m. there were some heavy, driving showers. After 3 p.m. the rain eased off to little more than a drizzle, which persisted at intervals until the early evening. It was the first appreciable fall in the city for 38 days, the last having been .4in on August 15. A cold, southerly change also set in at Lyttelton early yesterday afternoon and was accompanied by heavy rain. By 4 p.m., there was a heavy coating of snow on the hills across the harbour and some snow on the hills above Governor’s Bay. Light rain fell in the early evening. North Canterbury Dry North Canterbury is also very dr; this spring, but the amount of rain which fell over the area did not greatly improve the serious position for farmers. There were one or two heavy showers of rain in the Culverden ana Scargill districts between 4.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m., but in all not more than about .25in is estimated to have fallen.

Cheviot had some heavy rain for a period about 5 p.m., but early in the evening no rain had fallen at Kaikoura, although it was threatening, and a high wind blowing.