LOCAL RAINSTORM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18292, 8 January 1923, Page 6

LOCAL RAINSTORM.

| PLIGHT OF PICNICKERS. BUCKLAND'S BEACH INCIDENT. CLOTHING FOUND AFLOAT. The' vagaries of the Auckland weather since the advent of the holiday period have placed pleasure-seekers in many awkward and unexpected predicaments, but none of them; perhaps, have been so inconvenient and uncomfortable as that which befel a number of, excursionists at Buckland's Beach yesterday afternoon. A, number of picnickers had left their hampers and clothing on the fiat- near the beach, and were disporting themselves in the water about 1.30 p.m., when an exceptionally heavy downpour of rain, likened by some to a cloud-burst, suddenly descended upon them. The bathers made a hurried rursh to,save their property from the effects of the storm, but be/ore they could do so the flat was flooded to a considerable depth, and the salvage operations were- carried out with some difficulty. A number of lunch baskets and some shoes and stockings were afloat, and although most of them were recovered it was only by dint of hard work that they were secured. A great deal of the clothing was thoroughly wetted, and a considerable portion of ike remainder, of the afternoon was occupied in drying the apparel. '.■'.'. <

UNCERTAIN WEATHER. WEEK-END MAINLY FINE. HEAVY SHOWERS IN SUBURBS. The weather at Auckland, although somewhat unsettled, has considerably improved during the past few days. Very heavy showers fell on Thursday morning, but on Friday the weather was all that' could be desired. On Saturday afternoon the conditions again became threatening. A heavy thunderstorm approached from the south-west, but it was not felt much in the city, where only a few drops of rain fell. In the suburbs the storm was more severe. At Heme Bay, St. Heliers, and on the North Shore" severe showers were experienced. Toward evening, the weather cleared, but the sky to the north and north-west was continually lit by frequent flashes of lightning. '".-'! Yesterday was fine, but in the after-" noon the sky to the south looked threatening, and a thunderstorm appeared to be passing over the suburbs, where it was reported to be raining heavily. Lightning was again in evidence. The barometer has been fairly steady for some days. From the middle of December it was very unsteady, with, low readings varying between 29.00 in. and 29.60 in. After registering ,29.50 in. for some days it began to rise on Tuesday, and by Wednesday had reached 29.90 in. It has been practically steady at that" reading since. The normal reading for th© barometer at this time of the year is about 30.05 in. ' .