MIDSUMMER FROSTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 24 January 1939, Page 6

MIDSUMMER FROSTS

CHRISTCHURCH SURPRISE SIX RECORDED THIS MONTH CHRISTCHURCH. 23rd January. Frosts in January are surprising enough, but when there i re six recorded by the twenty-second day of the month, the weather can be looked on as remarkable. On Sunday morning the temperature on the grass was 25.5 degrees Fahrenheit, a frost of 6.5 degrees. Last Thursday morning there was frost of 5.3 degrees. Late on Saturday night it was obvious that toward morning the ternj perature would be cold. Windscreens on motor cars parked for evening were frosted, and cyclists were feeling the need for gloves. Those who did not sleep in on Sunday morning knew that there had been a frost, and not a light

Until this year no frost in January greater than 5.8 degrees had been recorded in 1935. Records have been kept in Christchurch since 1905 For the last two years frosts have been unknown until the second week in March, so that for 1939 they are two months ahead of schedule The table of frosts this year is:— Deg January 10 2 January 11 6.1 January 13 0.5 January 18 5.6 January 19 5.3 January 22 6.5 Although stone-fruit and tomato growers had no complaints to make, it is certain that many householders will have suffered losses with their domestic supplies of beans and perhaps celery.