THE WEATHER.

Evening Star, Issue 10213, 15 January 1897, Page 3

THE WEATHER.

—- Mr Paulin advised us at three o’clock to-day;—“ The weather Will be stormy and electrical, with heavy thunder showers, during the next twenty-four hours to the Southward of 44<ieg; light and variable Winds between N.E. to E. and N.W.; barometer unsteady.” Steady rain set in at Palmerston North yesterday Heavy rains were experienced at Nelson yesterday, and the local streams are heavily flooded. No serioda damage is yet reported. At Whakapuaka several camping parties were driven to seek niore substantial shelter than canvas.

The extremely hot, weather of the last Week or so changed at Hokitika to a gale from the north with heavy rain. The latter was much required by sluicers. The rain which started here about four o’clock on Wednesday afternoon developed into a fine steady fall, lasting all night, and. congratulations were to be heard on all sides at the ultimate arrival of the anxiously-looked-for showers. Appearances indicated that the country districts were getting a fair share, and inquiry confirmed this. The rain began about three o’clock at Kurow, and was general up the Waifaki and across in the Hakataramea and South Canterbury. At Ngapara it began about eleven o’clock ip the morning and lasted for several hours. Down South the fall was similar, and the whole district has participated in a most beneficial downpour. The late crops in this district will have practically been saved by the rain, and the root crops and grass will also have received a fresh lease of life, while the only possible damage may be the laying of a little early crop, which may thus be made a little more difficult to harvest. The twelve-hours’ fall represents a saving of thousands of pounds to the district.— ‘ Oamaru Mail.’ WELLINGTON. January 15. The rain has now stopped and the weather has set in fine again. The fall amounted to 3 2in. It was extremely heavy at times. f NELSON, January 15? The weather is fine again. Three inches of rain fell in two days, after a long spell of dry weather with only occasional breaks of rain. * Owing to the northerly gale the steamers could not leave yesterday.