FIERCE THUNDERSTORM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18286, 30 December 1922, Page 6

FIERCE THUNDERSTORM.

HEAVY RAIN AND KAIL. 15 MINUTES' DURATION. FALL OF QUARTER OF AN INCH. A heavy thunderstorm struck the city •esterday'afternoon, a sudden deluge of ain flooding the streets and open spares bortly after 4 p.m. This was accom.anied by a heavy fall of hail, which .anked up in the street gutters and on vindow-sills. Thousands of people doing heir Friday shopping sought shelter under he verandahs in Queen Street and Karaigahape Road, but numbers who were ess fortunate received a thorough soak ng before thev found shelter. Though the day had been threatening, with heavy, low-lying clouds, the majority >f people who came into the city were lot prepared for tho downpour. It lasted ibout 15 minutes, yet in that short space jf time no "less than 28 points of rain (vere recorded, or over a quarter of an nch. The hailstorm was evidently heaviest in the city. In tho Ponsonby, Mount Eden, and Epsom districts the fail of la il seems to have bee,, lighter. In the fruit-growing district at Hen derson the hail was again only light, thus saving tho new fruit from possible damage. The country districts to the ;outh of Auckland appear to have escaped the hail belt altogether, though the rain •ell very heavily. Intermittent flashes of lightning oc:urred throughout the storm. The barometer experienced a particuarly sudden drop in the lata afternoon. With the mercury standing at 29.8 in. at 3 a.m.. a fall occurred in the afternoon, .intil at 4 p.m. it measured 29.5 m. As soon as the storm had passed the barometer rose, and registered 29 6in. at 9 3.m A report from Tauranga last evening tated that rain set in at four o'cbck ,-esterday afternoon and looked !iko con-