THE WEATHER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 13948, 3 January 1906, Page 7

THE WEATHER.

RAIN IN CHRISTCHURCH. A HEAVY THUNDERSTORM. The oppressive weather that has hung over Christchurch for several days was dispersed yesterday afternoon by a heavy thunderstorm, which burst over the city shortly after two o’clock. It cam© up from tb© south, and was heralded by ominous black clouds, which rose up from the horizon, and gradually spread over the sky. .When the storm broke at last, there was a shower of largo hail-stones, which were followed by sheets of rain. Lightning flashes were followed closely by loud thunderclaps, and the bright aspect the city had worn all the morning was quickly changed to rather gloomy scenes. A heavy thunderstorm, accompanied by vivid flashes of lightning, passed over Kaiapoi yesterday afternoon. A thunderstorm was experienced in Lyttelton between 2 and 2.30 p.m. yesterday. Several of the flashes of lightning were very vivid, and the quickness with which they were followed by the peals cf thunder showed that tho electrical disturbance was near at hand. Heavy rain ensued, but later in the afternoon the weather cleared. [From Our Correspondent.] ASHBURTON, January 2. A thunderstorm, accompanied by hail, passed over Ashburton between on© and two o’clock to-day. [Pee Press Association.] TIMARU, January 2. A very heavy hailstorm cam© on here at 12.30 to-day, the heaviest experienced for many years. Hailstones weir© from liin to l|in in diameter, and came down with such violence as to cut .everything in the shape of vegetation, and \a good deal of damage was done. The storm materially affected the attendance at the second day’s snorts of the Caledonian Society