STORM IN CITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22131, 10 June 1935, Page 8

STORM IN CITY

HEAVY RAIN SQUALLS SOME UNUSUAL FEATURES THUNDER AND LIGHTNING CONDITIONS IN PROVINCE A -westerly storm, with wind ap. proaching gale force at times, in the early hours of yesterday morning and late last night, swept over the city and a large proportion of the Auckland province during the week-end. The weather on Saturday morning and afternoon was generally fine, although several showers fell, but during Saturday night the wind blew strongly, carrying with it squalls of rain of increasing intensity. Torrential rain fell at intervals yesterday morning but during the afternoon there was a break in the wintrv conditions, and the sky cleared for an hour or two toward the evening. After seven o'clock, however, the wind again rose and an intense electrical disturbance developed. Brilliant flashes of lightning illuminated the whole sky, and there were loud peals of thunder. There was a particularly vivid flash at 10 o'clock, followed by a reverberating roll of thunder.

Although the rainfall was at times torrential, it was only intermittent in the city, and the total for the week-end was not exceptionally high. During Saturday .14in. fell, and on Sunday the total was 1.33 in. The severity of the disturbance is.indicated by the movement of the barometer. After falling to 29.40 in. early on Friday morning it had risen to 29.80Ln. at midnight the same day. At mid-day on Saturday, however, it commenced to fall steadily, and at mid-day yesterday more rapidly. At midnight last night it was steady at 29.40 in. Rough Seas on West Coast On the west coast the weather was exceptionally stormy, and rendered the Manukau Bar unworkable. Throughout yesterday the bar was breaking heavily for a mile seaward of the harbour entrance. The steamer Alexander, which left Onehunga for Nelson on Saturday afternoon, has been bar-bound since, and was sheltering at the Manukau Heads last night. * Stormy conditions prevailed in the Waikato. In Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty district the rainfall yesterday was exceptionally heavy, and although no flooding was reported, many roads were in a muddy condition. A heavy slip fell during the day on the Waioeka Road, about 15 miles south of Opotiki, and service cars had to work from both sides. It was hoped that the road would be cleared by to-day. The Motu Road was reported last night to be open for light cars only. Thunderstorm at Whangarei Heavy rain and a very strong northeasterly wind were experienced at the Chateau Tongariro, National Park, yesterday, but no snow fell. The weather in the north was showery and boisterous on Saturday night and yesterday morning. However, a severe thunderstorm passed over Whangarei at midnight last night. There were particularly loud peals of thunder, and the lightning was exceedingly -vivid, seeming to light up the whole sky. For some minutes torrential rain fell. It was the heaviest experienced in Whangarei :cor a considerable time, but was of comparatively brief duration. Lightning could be seen earlier in the evening to the southwest, and the storm seemed to approach from the direction of Dargaville, where it was experienced some time earlier.