WINTRY CONDITIONS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 194, 18 July 1939, Page 2

WINTRY CONDITIONS

RIMUTAKA SNOWFALL. TROUBLE FOR MOTORISTS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, July 17. Snow fell on the summit of tho Rimutaka ltoad lust night and early this morning, ; ml caused trouble tor the motorists using the road who were not prepared for such conditions. The fall was not as heavy as that of the previous week-end. and affected the road for only about a mile on either side of the summit. The Wellington Automobile Association was advising motorists to avoid the Rimutaka route early to-day, but the Public Works Department broke a track through the hard snow by sending a heavy lorry equipped with chains over the road. All the hills on the eastern side of Wellington Harbour and the Hutt Valley bore a dusting of snow, hut it was seen only through brief gaps in the clouds.

HAWKE’S BAY MANTLED

WORST CONDITIONS FOR YEARS. Per Press Association. HASTINGS. July 1?. Tlie -.vhole of the Hawke’s Ray province this morning experienced a sharp drop in temperature with widespread snowfalls, the third in eight days. Conditions in the central areas were particularly bad where falls up to seven inches were registered on the plains, and more on the foothills and ranges. Severe snowstorms are still raging in the Ruahines and Kaiwakas, and it is possible that if there is a sudden thaw the rivers generally will rise with possible flooding. Scattered showers of snow fell in Napier and Hastings during the day but melted on reaching the ground. The hills nearby were covered with a white mantle. Old residents describe the conditions as the worst for JO years, as such a general snowfall had not previously been encountered. The roads generally are passable, hut eare is necessary on the Namer-Taupo and, Napier-Gisborno roads, also on the main south road, which has a frozen glassy surface. There is believed to have been a heavy mortality in early lambs. The conditions to-night are still wintry, hut there are prospects of an improvement. exceptional” falls. IN RURAL AREAS. HASTINGS, July 17. After glorious week-end weather, another southerly struck Hawke’s Bay, bringing with it heavy falls of snow in various parts of the ranges and in some eases on the flats. Temperatures in Napier fell more than 10 degrees in an hour. Ilissington experienced the heaviest fall since 1919, between three and four inches hilling. Residents of long standing can remember a fall of a similar depth 20 years ago, hut cannot say which was the heavier.

Sherenden also reported one of the heaviest falls in the memory of residents, three to four inches having fallen in a brief space.

Scheduled to speak at a meeting in Waipaiva, Sir Andrew Russell was forced to postpone the engagement because of heavy snow making the Crownthorpe road practically impassable. Poukawa and To Mahangn report the heaviest fall of snow since November, 1919. Some early lambs were dropped in this district, but farmers questioned said there was no mortality and stock generally was experiencing no serious setback. The postmistress in Tangoio stated that no snowfall such ns occurred today had been seen in Tangoio for more than 30 years. The midday train arrived at Hastings covered with snow as n result of passing through heavy falls in Central Hawke’s 15av. DANNEVIRIvE COVERED. The greater portion of Southern Hawke’s Bay experienced its third and heaviest fall of snow within the past 14 days. With an absence of wind the snow soon settled, it began at 6.10 a.m., and when it ceased at 10.30 the environs of Dannevirke were covered to depths varying from two to seven inches. The Mangaliei and Awariki districts, after two hours and a half of snow, had seven inches, this being the heaviest fall in the southern end of the province. 'Hie Afotea district had a fourinch fall. Norsewood and Ormondville experienced snow earlier than Dannevirke and at 9 a.m. had about five inches. A foot fell in parts of the Makotuku district.