WINTER IN CHRISTCHURCH

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 May 1942, Page 2

WINTER IN CHRISTCHURCH

WEEK-END STORMS.

CHRISTCHURCH, May 25

Winter hit Christchurch with a vengeance over the week-end. A southwest storm, complete with driving rain and bitterly cold conditions, arrived yesterday morning early, and in approximately 30 hours up to 9 a.m. to-day, four and a-half inches of rain fell. The storm reached a new peak during last night and continued practically unabated this morning. In the city, Hooding in many areas was common, and it was particularly severe at Woolston, in the Radley bridge area, where the Heathcote River, banked up by the rising tide, came well over roads and footpaths. Sweeping up the east coast, the gale caused ‘serious trouble to telephone circuits, and to a lesser degree telegraph traffic has also been affected. There are no telephone circuits north of Cheviot and Waiau, owing to serious breaks in the lines in those areas. As much traffic as possible is going via the west coast. The west coast circuits are themselves 1 very shaky and there appear to be some faults not far away.

A breakdown in the railway communication system has been caused by the storm, but so far, there are no reports of damage to tracks. Rail traffic is continuing with very little inconvenience, by the use of manual signalling. Rain swelled the Avon River,, which in places on the lower levels, was almost up to the roadway. Records at the Ail- Force weather station show that the south-wester averaged between 30 and 35 miles an hour for 24 hours, with frequent gusts of over 50 miles an hour. The greatest recorded velocity was at 9.30 this morning, when instruments read 58 miles an hour.

The Christchurch Magnetic Observatory figures for the 24 hours ended 9 a.m. to-day, showed the rainfall tally of 3.98 inches, the second highest reading for a 24-hour period since records were instituted.

Preparations for wheat sowing in some country districts will be adversely affected by the rain and it is feared that in certain areas, wheat already in the ground will be “drowned . out.” Snow has fallen in many places in the ranges and foothills, and in some places on the plains, sleet was experienced.

WELLINGTON RAIN.

WELLINGTON, May 25

A wet day on Saturday, eighteen points of rain being recorded, ended with a promise of a change for the better, but the wind went into the south, and a heavy storm developed. Rain fell, practically incessantly on Sunday, and was accompanied by a gale during last night. The heaviest of the average rainfall for May is four inches. There were several minor slips and some surface Hooding and exposed gardens have suffered, but no serious damage has been reported.