THE WEATHER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16870, 31 May 1915, Page 11

THE WEATHER.

GALE FROM SOUTH-WEST. NO DAMAGE REPORTED. Official meteorological observations taken at the local magnetic observatory at 5 p.m. on Saturday showed that the barometer was steady, and that there was no wind. A slight sprinkling of rain had been registered, and the day was very raw. During Saturday evening a bleak wind blew from the south. It was known • that heavy rain had fallen in Dunedin during the afternoon, causing the abandonment of most outdoor games, and the least, discerning knew that a sou’-wester was blowing up.

During the early hours of Sunday morning the gale struck the city, and at 4 a.m. was blowing ve y strongly, ".lie rainfall was not really heavy, for by i 1.30 a.m. yesterday only .3l>3in bad been registered. At that hour the wind had 1 moderated a little, and was officially reported as “strong.” All day long the gale continued, and about 4 p.m. reached its maximum, being particularly strong along the foot of the bills. At o p.m. it was still blowing bard, but the barometer was rising steadily. The rainfall between 9.30 a.m. and o p.m. yesterday was only .o3in.

Inquiries made went to show that little if any damage bad been done in and. about tho city. At the drainage pumping station it had not been found necessary to bring the emergency plant into operation, probably owing to the fact that the ground, being dry, soaked up a lot of water. The officer in charge of the telegraph operating room informed a reporter that only one wire—to the north —had gone down, and, as there was a spare wire, there had been practically no interruption of the service.

The city surveyor, Mr A. Dudley Dobson, stated that- during the morning it. had been reported to him that, owing to dead leaves choking a culvert in one place, it looked as though the footpath would he flooded, but one of the council's men stood' by and kept the channel clear. The rain had not been torrential, Mr Dobson added, and so bad not overtaxed the gutters and culverts. At this time of the year, with such quantities of dead leaves about, it only needed an hour's really heavy rain to cause minor floods in many parts of the city.

Last night a cold wind howled over the city, making the streets very uninviting. but adding to the manifest attractions of the warm fireside, a fact which told seriously against the attendances at tho evening services at the various churches. Rain continued to fall intermittently during the evening. The organ recital was postponed, but, the concert in aid of the Hospital Ship Fund was held and attracted a fairly large attendance. Towards midnight the wind bad dropped and the rain showers became more heavy and more frequent.

IN NORTH CANTERBURY. The driest spell which North Canterbury has experienced for thirty-seven years has -been broken up at last by the heavy rain which came on with the south-west arid is still coming down All over the districts around Rangiora. tho farmers were in sore straits for rain. The smaller rivers had all dried up; even the Ashley could have been crossed dry-shod last week just below the railway bridge—the first time lor thirtyseven years—and owing to the wells giving out many people bad to cart water. The ground lias now received a thorough soaking and farmers will he able to get all their ploughing teams to work. SNOW AT AKAROA. Very heavy rain fell at Akaroa on Saturday morning, accompanied by snow. The hills around the harbour were thickly covered, and the snow extended far down the slopes. In tile afternoon the weather cleared up, but the air was wintry and cold. ASHBURTON. Heavy rain set in at Ashburton shortly before daylight yesterday morning and at nine o’clock the Domain weather gnago registered 0.4<1 inches. Another point fell between 9 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. The rain was not a particularly cold one, but in all prob. ability there will have l>cen a fall of snow on the ranges in the Alford Forest and Mount Somers districts.