STORMY WEEK-END

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 4 August 1941, Page 4

STORMY WEEK-END

| RMS AND lIAIL IN WELLINGTON | OLD PAEKAKARIKI HILL ROAD BLOCKED | Wellington shivered during the weekend in the grip of a fierce southerly i storm which extended over the south- , ern portion of the North Island. Saturday afternoon was fine though cold, but later a southerly wind sprang up and shortly after 8 pm. heavy rain began to fall, continuing throughout the night. Yesterday was cold and stormy and ! few people were about in the rain- | drenched streets. There was a feel of i snow in the air and in the morning the Rimutakas were lightly powdered with snow. The afternoon was particularly bleak and wintry and there was at j least one heavy hail shower. The southi erly wind remained strong and blustery about Cook Strait and the coastal areas. The Meteorological Office reported last night that the rainfall at Kelburn up to 9 ajn. yesterday was .70 inches and that from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. a furtheir .51 inches was recorded. The storm had not then blown itself out. As far as could be ascertained last night, little damage was caused by the storm and at 9 p.m. the Hutt River was reported to be little above normal. The Automobile Association (Wellington) reported that all roads in its area were • clear with the exception of the old Pae- ' kakariki Hill road, which was completely blocked by a fairly extensive slip which came down yesterday morning above the horseshoe bend 1 The Manawatu Gorge road was also closed yesterday as the result of a slip in the gorge, but is expected to be open this morning.