HEAVY SNOW FALLS

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 266, 5 August 1932, Page 12

HEAVY SNOW FALLS

North Canterbury Covered COLD RAIN SHOWERS Wintry Weather in the South By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, August 4. Wintry conditions prevail throughout Canterbury and south. There have been severe snowstorms in parts. Christchurch city Jias so far escaped any actual fall of snow, but the weather is bitter. A heavy fall of snow occurred at Lyttelton to-night, nearly three inches lying on the wharves at 11.3.0 p.m., and the snow is still falling heavily. All over North Canterbury, from Hawarden to Kaikoura, there has been snow or very cold rain. Five or six inches lay on the ground at Hawarden. On the Banks Peninsula the storm has been severe, with a bitterly cold wind raging and much snow. ' It is anticipated that the main Akaroa Road will be impassable in the morning. Christchurch ( has escaped without snow, but the weather is very cold, with a biting south-west wind and occasional showers. FALL IN WAIRARAPA Spring Growth Retarded THICK ON RANGES Dominion Special Service. Masterton, August 4. There was an unusually heavy fall of snow in all high country in the Wairarapa last night. Snow even fell in the valley itself. Bitterly cold, wintry weather was experienced yesterday, but the rain ceased in the early part of the evening and the night was frosty, but residents of Masterton awoke this mornibg to find the ground coated, snow having fallen during the early hours of the morning. The accompanying frost froze the snow to the delight of boys and girls who were afforded a taste of winter sports in the slippery school playgrounds this morning. The fall was sufficiently heavy for snow to remain on footpaths in shaded parts of the town until after midday. The fall in the high country was very heavy and the foothills of the Tararuas right down to Kaituna were under the thickest mantle for several winters. The Maungarakis to the east were also under an unusually thick covering. To-day broke beautifully fine and clear and the jutting, snowclad peaks of the Tarauas, silhouetted against a background of blue sky made a magnificent spectacle. Severe frosts have been experienced in the Wairarapa practically every day for some time past, and the effect of the cold has been heightened by intermittent squalls of southerly rains. In Masterton last month no fewer than twenty-four frosts were registered, the hardest being 16.4 degrees. Fine clear days, however, have usually followed the frosts. This is indicated by the fact that the sunshine recorded in Masterton for the month was well above the average—l 44 hours 24 minutes.

There has been an almost total absence of the warming soaking rains required by farmers for spring growth, and the rainfall in the Wairarapa has been the lowest for this month over a period of twenty years. The position as regards spring growth is aggravated by the frequency of frosts which have so far kept back the first flush of feed. . HEAVY AT CHATEAU Mountain Roads Clear Dominion Special Service. The Chateau, August 4. Veary heavy snow is falling at The Chateau Tongariro, and the mountain roads are clear. The Australian champion ski-ers arrive on August 22, and the Alpine Club members will arrive next week. HEAVY SOUTHERLY Snow on Mount Victoria After a sunny day a bitterly cold wind blew up from the south yesterday, and at five o’clock it had reached gale force. The ranges across the harbour were coated with snow, and at dusk light flakes fell on Mt. Victoria. The night was cold and gusty.