WEATHER VAGARIES

Grey River Argus, 1 March 1943, Page 4

WEATHER VAGARIES

WATERSPOUT OFF GREYMOUTH.

The extremely variable weather conditions on the West Coast lor months past were yesterday further diversified by a magnificent waterspout which appeared to begin some distance to the south of Greymouth, and moved slowffi northwards until it finally dissipated, after fully half an hour,' over the beach at the northern end of Cobden. It was first noticed about 9 23 a.m. off Gladstone —a tornado like storm, with the spiral of air and water rising in clear-cut columnar fashion several hundreds of feet up to a mass of cloud. With a bright background fo seaward, 'the column was in high relief and formed a remarkable sight. At its summit there appeared a second, but much shorter column, which failed to develop or extend down ward to the sea, though it went 'to indicate that the whirlwind giving rise to the phenomenon, originated at a considerable elevation. Finally 'the column broke up at its base and gradually the dissipation extended upwards until the whole disappeared. On Thursday last a somewhat similar phenomenon was observed inland over the Grey*, Valley.