WINTRY WEATHER

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 92, 20 April 1939, Page 8

WINTRY WEATHER

IMPROVING TOMORROW

Special forecast for Wellington:—

Strong south-easterly winds t» gales, decreasing gradually tomorrow.

Weather dull, cold, and misty, with further rain, but improving tomorrow.

The general forecast for the Dominion as a whole, issued at noon today for the ensuing twenty-four hours, is for moderate ,to strong northerly winds at first in the far north and north-east. Otherwise southerlies to south-easterlies will prevail. These will be strong north of Westport and Kaikoura, reaching gale force in parts of the Cook Strait area, but otherwise their force will be light to moderate. In Westland and Southland the weather will be fair to fine, but elsewhere it will be cloudy to overcast with further rain and temperatures will be cold. A gradual improvement will set in later from the west and south.

The central portion of the country where drought conditions have been most sevei-e has experienced excellent rain during the last 24 hours. In Marlborough and Nelson falls have been mostly less than half an inch, but in the Taranaki and Wellington districts falls of between one and three inches have been common. All the remainder of the Dominion has had light falls, and it was still raining this morning practically everywhere, except in Westland, Southland, and North Auckland. A slowly-moving depression lying across the middle of the Dominion has been responsible for the break in the dry spell. Barometers have risen considerably in the south, the rise being accompanied by a sharp southerly change which by 9 a.m. today had reached as far north as New Plymouth and Napier. The southerly has brought a taste of winter, with gales in Taranaki and about Cook Strait, and a little snow has fallen in the south. -Temperatures have become very cold, the minimum readings in the south of 38 or 39 degrees being reminiscent of midwinter.

The weather in Auckland clouded over yesterday morning and it has been dull ever since. Some light rain fell in the afternoon and there was a shower at 7 a.m. today, but the total fall was less than one point. A freshening northerly wind has prevailed and both day am", night temperatures have been mild, the maximum and minimum being 68.4 and 64.8 degrees respectively.

Except for a few intervals yesterday morning, steady soaking rain has fallen in Wellington during the last 24 hours, 168 points being recorded at Kelburn up to 9 a.m. today. There was a decreasing northerly wind yesterday, but a change to a strong southerly took place shortly after 10 'p.m., temperatures falling sharply. The maximum yesterday was 61.5 degrees and the minimum 49.2 degrees.

In Christchurch yesterday the weather was cloudy and warm, 71.4 degrees being the maximum. A light north-easterly wind changed to the south in the afternoon and temperatures then became cold, 45.4 degrees being the minimum reached. Intermittent light rain set in about 7 p.m. and it was still drizzling this morning, the fall up to 9 a.m. having been one of 11 points.

Dunedin had a fine and sunny morning, but shortly before midday there was a very cold south-westerly change which was accompanied by showers. Conditions this morning were still continuing very bleak, although the wind had dropped and the rain had ceased. The showers totalled six points.