FIERCE STORY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22192, 20 August 1935, Page 10

FIERCE STORY

RAIN AND HAIL HEAVY FALLS IN CITY 2TIUXDER AND LIGHTNING COLDER CONDITIONS DISMAL AUGUST DATS Cold and boisterous weather with bccasional thunder and lightning ugain prevailed in the city and suburbs yesterday, culminating in a fierce hailstorm nt about 6.30 p.m. Small drifts oi hail piled up in the gutters and in the epouling <jf buildings. Although tho stones were fairly small, tho fill was particularly heavy and the streets were covered for some time. The hj: iL.torm was followed by blinding flashes of lightning hnd deafening clupi of thunder. / A lighter hailstorm accompanied by thunder and lightning occurred at ibout mid-day. Alter blowing from the wes - ; during the week-end, the wind veered si ghtly to the south yesterday and conditions were colder. Cold rain squalls ( ecurrod during tho day with intermittent p?riods of sunshine. Shipping was buffet-;d by high seas, and the Manukau Ba: - is still unworkable. Tree Crashes on Roof During the storm on Sunday afternoon, the occupants of a house i t the corner of Ngahuru Street and Ede.i Terrace were startled when a particularly strong gust of wind brought d< wn a large Moreton Bay fig tree, which crashed on to the roof and dislocged a number of bricks from the chimney.' The tree, which was about 4011. high, Was snapped off at the base < f the trunk. Several branches of the tre>j struck the side of the house, which is occupied by Mr. A. N. Jowitt, and i everal window panes were cracked. A j ortiou of the spouting was torn awiy from the roof. The tree was over 10 years old and was heavy with branch) s and foliage. Mr. Jowitt described i*;s fall as being like an earthquake. Conditions were still threatening late last, night, but the baromet3r after being steady throughout the i iter noon at 29.55:1n./had a slight, upward tendency. The rainfall by the Herald gauge for the 24 hours ended nidnight lasl; night 'was .27in. Worst For Many Yean Righteously indignant Auok landers are beginning to wonder what h is happened to their climate. Thof e bright and bracing days which bring an urge to play golf or indulge in so mo other outdoor exercise are rapidly becoming but a memory and it seems that the weather prophets can give no encouraging; promises of improvement. A'though no j the "oldest inhabitant" ly any means, one resident of Auckland whose memory goes back a long way says ho has not known anything liko t since 18159. The cold and wet wea;h;r then lasted until Christmas time. • Meteorological information oa:i reveal nothing more comforting than ;he fact that three feet below the srrlace the, earth is becoming warmer, at i ny rate in Albert Park, where thesn observations a:re-made. It was statsd yesterday by the official Governmeni. cbserver, Mr. S. M. Yallop, that the temperature three feet down in the groune, which is generally at its lowest po nt during July, is now on the rise. After it reaches itu maximum in the summer of about 67, degrees it gradually declines to about s!i degrees. The turning point las been reached, and the latest reading is 54.5 degrees. Mr. Yallop gives an assurance that tho gradual advance will continue. Wind Accompanies

For meteorological purposes the temperature is also taken,one foot down iai the ground and the results sliow that one would do better to bury himself three feet below. The difference is from fivo to two and a-half degree;;, ;he reading, compared with the 54.5 degrees at three feet, being only 52 degrees. f The rainfall records of the past week are illuminating as showing Ihf t for the amount of inconvenience and discomfort caused,the actual fall was nurprisingly email. This is accounted for bj the fact fhat the rain was accompan ed by a fairly strong wind which magnified a shower to torrential propoiti >ns. The average rainfall for the month is 4.19 in. f.nd the total fall to 9 a.m. yesterday was 3.08 in. On. Wednesday jncrning for the 21 hour period ending 9 a.m. the i'all was .29i:a., on Thursday at the j.ame hour and for a sin.il; tr period .33in., on Friday ~04in., oa Saturday .20in. and on Sunday .18in. To nine o'clocl: yesterday morning ihd fall was ,60in. for the 24 hours. Rain has fallen on 10 (Jays tliis month but there has been nothing pkicid about it, thi3ro being frequent th an derstorms iind some of the most disturbing light:tiing displays for a long tin e. The conditions were very similar in 1889, a fact which does not make the pr wpects very heartening. Officially the spring season begins; in New Zealand on September 23 so that "officially" there is every reason to expect another month of winter conditions. TH3ES FLOOD DARGAVILLE BARGE FLOATED ON TO ROAD £BY TELEGRAPH —OWN COKRES PONDENT] / DARGAVILLE. Monday The weather has been particularly stormy durirg the last few days, although slightly better to-day. Backed up by the high wind a heavy tide overflowed ' in Victoria Street yesterday morning, and the water invaded several business premises on the scut hern side. Fortunately the water carried no silt, ?Ad beyond a thorough soik.ng, goods mi t'no floors were not demigod to a great extent. • A large barge at the netd landing near the fire station floated up on the road and is stil! there. Owing to its bulk a'nd tlie fact that the tides are row receding, a difficult task is presented, in getting it ba>:k into the water. Tie Dargavillo Bowling Club's now green in Victoria Street was well flooded, and a number of firms along both sides of the river as far down as Punwai und up to Tan{;iti;roria were (affected by the high tidf\ and wore undor water for a considerable time yesterday. Most of t'liorn v,"e:re clear today. The rainfall for the *2 f hours to 9 d'clock this morning wan sibout I.sin.