BRIEF BUT VIOLENT SOUTHERLY STORM

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28700, 25 September 1958, Page 12

BRIEF BUT VIOLENT SOUTHERLY STORM

The second southerly storm in successive days struck the coastal areas of Canterbury yesterday afternoon, but except over Banks Peninsula only a few points of rain fell, and the drought conditions prevailing over the province are still not fully broken. The storm struck Christchurch just after 4 p.m. with boisterous winds up to 60 miles an hour, violent flurries of sleet, and some thunder. When lightning struck the main power transmission line from the Islington sub-station to Addington about 4.10 p.m. the whole of the city area and Lyttelton were cut off. Power was restored partially at 4.15 p.m. and completely by 4.20 p.m., no damage to the lines having resulted. Over Banks Peninsula, galeforce winds accompanied by driving rain, hail, and snow at higher levels began to blow after 3.30 p.m. and about half an inch of rain was measured. A remarkable drop in temperatures—from 50.2 degrees to 39.5 degrees—occurred within three or four minutes as the storm struck Christchurch, and although the storm was short lived, temperatures remained cold, with light drizzle persisting jjnto the early evening. Up to 6 p.m., exactly .lin of rain had been recorded at the Christchurch airport.’ The storm had its aftermath, however, with further local power failures later in the afternoon. A tree in Fendalton road brought down by the fierce gusts of wind fell across power lines and caused a black-out in the Fendalton area before 5 p.m. Persons in Fendalton road, Jacksons road, Kotare street, and Harakeke street were without power until after 7 p.m. There was also a power failure in the Belfast-Brooklands area about 4.30 p.m. caused when lightning! struck a transformer in the Belfast sub-station. It was also after 7 p.m. before power was restored ’ to consumers in this ar?a. Strong south-westerly winds, which by mid-afternoon reached gale force, blew in Timaru yesterday. Late in the afternoon, cold wintry showers fell. The storm did not disrupt power and telephone communications, and shipping in Timaru harbour was not affected. Few fishing boats were out. /

At the Timaru airport at Levels the wind reached velocities between 50 and 55 knots, and Nat-

ional Airways Corporation services were affected. With the Hunters Hills covered with snow after Tuesday’s fall, and the lower ranges liberally coated, frost was general throughout South Canterbury yesterday morning. That recorded in Timaru was 8.6 degrees. After its driest winter since 1951, South Canterbury needs at least an inch of rain to stimulate pasture growth. Only about .lin fell in Tuesday’s showers. Sunshine and warm temperatures were experienced in Ashburton yesterday, after a frost of 12 degrees. Strong winds and squally rain swept across the town shortly before 3 p.m. but the weather had cleared by evening, and only a few points, of rainwere measured. The whole of Mid-Canterbury is still in need of further rain.

Some wind and rain was experienced at Rangiora and other North Canterbury districts, but it did not last long, and the total fall was negligible.

Rain Over Peninsula After Tuesday’s rain, the fall of about half an inch over Banks Peninsula yesterday was welcomed not only by farmers. In many households throughout the area the water supply, had become precariously low, /with .water having to be carted to houses in some instance. The rain has helped to replenish storage, although a couple of days of steady rain will be necessary to refill most household tanks completely. One resident of Governors Bay said yesterday that he was fortunate in having 700 gallons in his tanks when the rain on Tuesday increased the I supply by a further 400 gallons. Still more rain, however, would be needed to fill his tanks.