BETTER PROSPECTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 150, 22 December 1938, Page 8

BETTER PROSPECTS

FINER WEATHER COMING

Special forecast for Wellington:— Moderate to fresh south-westerly winds.

Weather for the most part (air. Local showers and thunderstorms, however, are still possible today.

Temperatures cool but rising

The general forecast for tne Dominion as a whole, issued at noon today for the ensuing twenty-four hours, is for winds between west and south. These will be mainly light to moderate in force, but will be strong in exposed positions, especially about and north of Cook Strait, although decreasing later. Scattered rain is still' probable, with local thunder and hail storms, but the weather for the most part will be fair and improving generally. Temperatures will be cool to moderate.

During the last 24 hours little change in pressure has taken place over the New.Zealand area, barometers remaining low to the south and east and high to the west. A series of weak disturbances crossing the South Island has given rain at times over- most of that island, and there have been thunderstorms. Very severe hailstorms in parts of Canterbury have caused considerable damage. Otherwise, except for some occasional showers in western districts, the weather has been fair. The prevailing winds in the North island have been moderate to strong westerlies or south-westerlies, while those in the South Island have been light southerlies. The latter have given low temperatures, with snow on some high levels.

Auckland had five points of rain yesterday, falling in light showers during the morning. The weather otherwise was fair, with passing cloud and sunshine. There was a fresh westerly breeze and temperatures were a little cooler than normal for the time of year, the maximum being 69.2 degrees and the minimum 56 degrees.

Except for a brief light shower in the early morning hours, Wellington had a fine day with 10.1 hours of bright sunshine, the maximum and minimum temperatures being 63.9 and 52.9 degrees respectively. A moderate north-westerly breeze has prevailed. The city, however, has been lucky. Rain has been quite close. From Cape Palliser was witnessed a display of thunder and lightning lasting from 7 p.m. until 3 a.m., and there was a thunderstorm at Cape Campbell this morning at 11.30, Wellington only narrowly escaping it.

It was overcast in Christchurch yesterday morning, and there were spells of light rain during the afternoon. These were followed about 7 p.m. by a thunderstorm and heavy rain, but the city escaped the hail which was fairly widespread in the province. Conditions improved during the night, but it was raining again at 9 a.m. today, 41 points having been recorded up to that hour. The wind changed from the north-east to the south-west in the middle of the afternoon and temperatures were cool, the maximum being 60.8 degrees and the minimum 45.8 degrees.

A light south-westerly breeze prevailed in Dunedin and the weather was dull and showery, 16 points of rain being recorded at the Heads. A light southerly wind has kept temperatures very much on the cold side, the thermometer at 9 a.m. today registering only 46 degrees.