WEATHER PHENOMENON

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 73, 28 March 1922, Page 8

WEATHER PHENOMENON

RAIN OUT OF CLEAR BLUE SKY

The weather hereabouts lately ha* been qujte tricky enough to give people a topic for endless conversation, but, according'to, a report received by the Government Meteorologist this morning, the best " stunt " belongs to Auckland. There at 9 a.m. to-day it was raining out of a clear blue sky. The report received from the Queen Gity to-day was "blue sky and passing showers." Noticing that this was a most contradictory set of circumstances, Mr. Bates asked Auckland for a repeat message, and the result was that tho original report was confirmed. It is raining in Auckland from a clear blue sky," said Mr. Bates to a Post reporter. "This is a most' unusual phenomenon in New Zealand, but it happens fairly often in some,other parts of the world, and it is an ( old saying of sailors when they come across it that 'the devil is beating his mother-in-law.' The occurrence is known as 'ferein.' When rain comes out of a clear blue sky it is accounted for by a cold current of air passing over a temperate one and condensing the moisture in the latter, causing, it to come down as rain, although the sky above is clear and bright. That is what has happened in Auckland. A cold south-west current has been passing over a temperate north-west current, and showers have resulted." Incidentally, no weather reports were received from the Cape Maria Van Diemen, Russell, Hokianga Heads,, and Tiritiri station this morning,j which may mean much or little. The forecast at 9 a..m. to-day was for unsettled and .cloudy weather with rain probable generally, and for westerly wimjs, strong to gale, backing to southerly northward of Ka/whia and East Cape? and southerly winds, moderate to strong, prevailing elsewhere.