HEAVY RAINFALL AT NELSON

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 55, 28 November 1929, Page 13

HEAVY RAINFALL AT NELSON

UNUSUAL PHENOMENON Dominion Special Service. Nelson, November 27. The month promises to be one of the wettest on record, just as last year it was one of the driest. With only an inch and a half of rain for the previous 24 hours, up to 9' a.m. to-day the fall totalled 2.56 in., most of which fell in the early hours. For the month to date the record is 6.45 in., an amount which has been only twice exceeded in any November during the last 46 years. For the year to date 44.16 in. has fallen, against 41.2 in. for the whole of last year. When surfaces exposed to this morning’s rain dried it was noticed that deposits of reddish-brown dust remained on car hoods and bonnets. The deposits were particularly noticeable, while pools of water standing undisturbed showed a brownish film floating on top. At about 10 o’clock this morning the clouds wore an unusual reddishbrown appearance. In Australia the rain which leaves a deposit of brown-ish-coloured dust is called “red rain,” and it is probable that the dust which fell in this morning’s showers came from the interior of Australia, travelling in high clouds across the Tasmau. Dust deposits similar to those in Nelson were noticed in the Waimeas and Motueka also. A country resident stated that looking towards town there was a bright red glow over the city w such as would be caused by a fire at night time. Several eases are reported where washed clothes hanging on the line had the bottom end fringed with red, necessitating a rinsing to wash out the dust. .