HEAVY RAIN IN CITY

Press, Issue 29236, 21 June 1960, Page 14

HEAVY RAIN IN CITY

Fall General In Province

Goloshes and raincoats were very much the fashion in Christchurch last night. From about 4 p.m. the city was drenched by heavy, continuous, rain. It was still falling late last night, although for brief periods it had stopped or turned to fine drizzle. At Hanmer Springs sin of snow fell between 11.30 a.m. and 4 p.m., while at Cheviot creeks burst banks and water flowed across roads in several places in the district.

Throughout the city, surface Hooding of roads was fairly widespread and forced many cars to travel slowly through the water.

The Automobile Association (Canterbury) last night advised motorists who today might be using either Arthur’s Pass or Lewis Pass to carry chains and to expect icy conditions on the roads as both passes are covered by snow which began falling yesterday.

At Kaikoura. rain began falling lightly on Sunday night, get ting steadily heavier until lunch time yesterday when there was a change to intermittent showers. By 6.30 p.m., the rain had cleared although the cloud ceiling on the mountains was beginning to descend again. Up to 9 a.m. yesterday 51 points of rain had fallen.

At Hanmer Springs rain began falling about 10 p.m. on Sunday and got heavier through the night. It changed to snow about 11.30 a.m. yesterday. Last night light rain began again and low cloud lay on the surrounding hills.

Flooding In Cheviot Several creeks burst their banks and water flowed over several roads in the Cheviot district where heavy rain had fallen since late Sunday night. Some parts of the district had had between 3.5 in and 4in in the 24 hours up to 6 pan. yesterday. No mail was delivered yesterday to the Blythe Valley, which was cut off at both ends by floods. One settler in this area was unable to return home because of flooding. The Cheviot District High School closed at 1.30 p.m. because it was feared that school buses might not be able to cross rising creeks. Schoolchildren from Parnassus living at Mendip Hills had to be taken home by a wide detour. Last night, rain was still falling heavily. Street channels were full and running up on the kerb at Rangiora, where heavy rain began about 2.30 p.m. At Oxford, sin had fallen by 8 a.m. and rain fell heavily during the day. Paddocks in low-lying areas were flooded and creeks and ditches which previously had not carried water at all this year were overflowing. Snow At Pass At Arthur’s Pass, about 2in of snow fell between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. It was estimated that in the same period about 4in to sin had fallen at the top of the pass. During the morning and afternoon light rain from the south swept through the valley. About a quarter of an inch of rain fell at Akaroa between 3 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. There was no wind. Previously it had been overcast with only occasional rain until mid-afternoon. Heavy rain lashed Ashburton during the morning but eased off during the afternoon. Early in the evening, however, conditions turned bitterly cold and there were further wintry showers. Since Sunday morning, slightlv more than an inch and a half of rain had been recorded. Snow was reported in the Methven and Springburn districts. Conditions late last night were extremely cold and it was believed that snow was falling steadily in the high country. Seventeen points of rain fell at Waimate during the week-end. Yesterday it was overcast and rain began in the late evening. According to the Meteorological Office, goloshes and raincoats will still be the thing for today as the weather, while expected to improve, will only do so slowly and more showers are to come.