RA W WEATHER IN CANTERBURY

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31729, 12 July 1968, Page 1

RA W WEATHER IN CANTERBURY

It was a raw day throughout Canterbury yesterday. Heavy snow fell in the high country and in Christchurch a cold south-westerly kept temperatures in the low forties.

When 42 degrees was recorded at 1 p.m. Christchurch had the lowest maximum temperature of the four main centres.

At the Hermitage the snow was Ift deep and on land between the Rangitata and Rakaia Rivers yesterday it was about Ijin.

The Arthur’s Pass road was closed by snow, but is expected to be opened today. Motorists travelling on roads in the high country are advised by the Automobile Association (Canterbury) to use chains.

The Lewis Pass was passable but was icy in places. Chains were essential on the Pukaki-Hermitage road, on the Lindis Pass and generally throughout Central Otago. On the Pukaki-Tekapo road snow was lOin deep yesterday afternoon and telephone services at Tekapo, Fairlie and Pukaki were disrupted Several motorists encountered difficulties travelling through Burke’s Pass late yesterday, said an A.A. spokesman. Snow again fell on the Port Hills. In Christchurch it was over-

cast and showery throughout the day. Because of wet weather since last Friday the Transport Department urges motorists to take extra care because roads are slippery. Drivers are asked to decrease speed approaching intersections.

The frost yesterday morning in Christchurch was 1.6 degrees. No snow was forecast for Christchurch last evening but sleet and rain were expected overnight. In North Canterbury the day was generally fine and in some districts the sun shone for reasonably long periods. However, light rain began to fall in many areas last evening. ASHBURTON SNOW Snow fell in most parts of the Ashburton County yesterday, varying from about an inch in the borough to 9in at Mount Possession. Some stock losses are expected on the plains and in the back country. The snow continued at Methven and other areas near the foothills until late in the afternoon, after which steady rain set in and continued during the evening. The snowfall at Methven wag sin to sjin by about 4 p.m. while at Montalto there was 4in.

Rain also fell steadily in Ashburton during the afternoon and evening. Yesterday morning an 11,000 volt line at Montalto was put out for about two hours.

Feeders cut at Highbank and Lyndhurst in the afternoon were restored in a few hours, but the general manager of the Ashburton Electric Power and Gas Board (Mr D J Binns) reported about 5 p.m. that a feeder into the Rakaia Gorge-Mount Hutt area had been broken. About 3in of snow fell at the Winchmore Irrigation Research Station in the morning but the snow gave way to sleet. At Pendarves, about an inch of snow fell and it was cleared by 5 p.m., but from about midnight on Wednesday to 5 p.m. yesterday 2.41 in of rain fell and some stock losses are feared. The Ashburton Domain weather office recorded 1.09 in in 11 hours to 5 p.m. yesterday. At 5 p.m. the temperature was 37.9 degrees, the highest all day. SKI-FIELDS Heavy falls were reported at most of the ski-fields in the province and, although all are expected to be open at the week-end, avalanches may be a danger. Snow in the Craigieburn Range will take at least another four of five days to consolidate properly, the safety officer for the week at Mount Cheesman (Mr N. Hamilton) said yesterday. . He said that there was plenty of snow for good skiing at the Mount Cheesman field but advised all skiers to stay close to the tow lines and not to venture across large unbroken slopes.