Temperature a near record for January

Press, 14 January 1982, Page 1

Temperature a near record for January

Christchurch sweltered yesterday as the temperature soared to 35.6 deg., the second-highest January temperature recorded. The temperature was only 0.4 short of equalling the alltime January high of 36deg. recorded on January 22, 1979. The north-westerly wind which brought the hot weather continued to blow throughout the day. All Canterbury felt the heat, but nowhere so badly as Christchurch.

At 3 p.m. yesterday Kaihpoi recorded 35deg., Rangiora, 34 deg., Amberley and Ashburton, 32deg., Methven, 31deg„ Akaroa, 27deg„ and Timaru. 25deg. Many people went to beaches or their local swimming pool. The Jellie Park Lido Pool in Burnside attracted one of the biggest crowds. The Queen Elizabeth II Park Pool and its new hydroslide attracted a: near record 5000. A spokesman for the Centennial Pool said that it was the busiest day for 17 years. Beaches were also popular. A spokesman for the Canterbury beach patrols, Mr Geoffrey LeCren, said that all the beaches were extremely busy.

He said that many of the beach patrols were to be asked to stay on to keep an eye on early-evening swimmers. “Patrolmen spent most of the day knee-deep in water as the crowds continued to increase,” Mr LeCren said. “About 26 swimmers were rescued from the surf at New Brighton beach, six from Sumner beach, and four from Taylors Mistake.” Apart from swimmers, the only other problem lifesavers had was dogs. “I was really worried about the number of dogs on the beaches. They were all over the place, and I continuously got complaints from the parents of terrified children,” Mr LeCren said.

The Lyttelton Borough Council was also kept busy

yesterday as its water supply dwindled.

The borough engineer, Mr J. H. Christensen, said that the borough's water supply was quickly falling. Lyttelton residents were asked to turn off hoses and to use water sparingly. Mr Christensen said that the return of the supply to normal would depend on the weather. While Canterbury basked in the sun yesterday, temperatures were also high in Hawke's Bay. The Weather Office reported 3 p.m. temperatures of 35deg. at Hastings, with Napier just 2deg. lower. Further north, at Wairoa. the 3 p.m. temperature was 33deg., while in central Hawke’s Bay Waipukurau recorded 31deg. Gisborne recorded 32deg. at the airport at 3 p.m.