A WET WEEK-END.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21113, 22 February 1932, Page 10

A WET WEEK-END.

NO OUTDOOR FIXTURES. GOOD RAIN IN COUNTRY. GENEROUS FALL FOR MONTH. Steady rain which fell throughout Friday night and did not begin to case until about. 10 a.m. on Saturday, caused the postponement of all outdoor sporting fixtures. The first day of the Auckland Trotting CJub's meeting was postponed until to-day.and the Western Springs Speedway programme, arranged for Saturday evening, is to take place this evening. All cricket, tenuis and bowling matches were abandoned. The races at Hamilton were postponed and in many parts ot the province sports fixtures could not be hold. The rain was general throughout the province, and it has done inestimable good in manv country districts. On Saturday the wind had changed from Hie light northeasterly of Friday to the west, but the conditions continued close and oppressively humid. Frequent hard squalls were accompanied by heavy rain showers, especially in the morning. Eighty points of rain fell in the city between midnight on Friday and midnight on Saturday, the great bulk of this being recorded before mid-day. There was a continuation of boisterous weather yesterday, but the squalls were less frequent and only a very few light showers fell. The atmosphere was much cooller and more pleasant. Although February is commonly regarded as the driest month of the year, and one of the most settled, the records show that its rainfall is most erratic and not infrequently veiy heavy. From»a meteorological point of view it is perhaps the most interesting month in the calendar. Although its average rainfall is considerably below the monthly average, it holds the record both for the wettest and the second wettest month recorded in Auckland since observations were first systematically taken more than three-quar-ters of a century ago. The wettest month was February, 1869, when 14.15 in. of rain fell, and the second wettest was February, 1917, when the fall was 12.67 in. February also holds the record for the driest month to be found in the statistics, for February, 1909, is the only month in which no rain fell.

The present February is going to rank among the wet ones, for already with a full week to elapse the average of 3.05 in. has been more than doubled. Bain has fallen on 11 out of the 21 days, and there have been two specially heavy deluges. On February 12, when a long dry spell was completely broken, almost 4in. of rain fell, and this was followed on February 18 by a fall of over 2in., most of which eame in a very short space of time in the early morning. A third substantial rain throughout Friday night added nearly another inch, so that the monthly total is now 7.20 in. STEADY DOWNPOUR AT ROTORUA. CHOPPING EVENTS HELD OVER. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] ROTORUA, Saturday. Owing to a steady downpour of rain, this afternoon's sports fixtures had to be abandoned, including the Mamaku chopping and sawing events. These will be held on Monday. WELLINGTON'S WET SATURDAY. ALL SPORTS CANCELLED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Sunday. The wettest Saturday experienced this summer compelled the cancellation of all outdoor sports in the city yesterday. The cricket, tennis, bowling, croquet and golf fields were drenched by heavy rain which fell on Friday night and continued throughout Saturday. Even had the sun shone yesterday afternoon it is questionable whether the grounds would have been fit for play.