THE WEATHER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17376, 25 July 1918, Page 8

THE WEATHER

COLD AND UNSETTLED

Tho early hoars of yesterday were marked by some iairly heavy showers, but these were followod by a period of line weather, which gave rise to tho hope that a change for_ tlici bettor was likely to take place. This hope, however, was'not realised, for beforo 5 p.m. showers set in again, and continued at frequent intervals for the remainder of the day. L'arly this mferning thcro was no prospcet of a cessation of the bad weather,.

(Pea United Paitsa Absociatiok.) CHRISTCHUR.-CH, July 24. The weather is now improving. Frequent showers of rain fell last nigtit, assisting to thaw the snow, which is now beginning to disappear. About 9 o'clock this morning aligiit fall of snow occurred, but it did not last long, and the conditions are now brighter, though tho air is still cold. Railway traffio to tho West Coast is interrupted, bnt tho telegraph scrvico is practically normal again. Later. The city is gradually resuming its normal winter appearance, tho thaw, assisted by rain showers, having effected a clearance of the snow, which since Sunday has lain thickly on footpath and roadway alike. Tho efforts of the City Council workmen, with their many hastily improvised snow ploughs and rakes, have resulted in most of tho streets in the inner cjty area being fairly comfortably negotiable by all classes ot traffic, and pathways along which pedestrians plodded ankle-deep in slush yesterday aro to-day in many cas?s presenting once more an unbroken asphalt surface. Bitterly cold, heavy rain from the southwest is falling to-night. The railway traffic authorities cannot say anything definite yet as to when communication will be restored on tho Midland line to Arthur's Pass. There is no possibility of tho express getting through to-morrow, and its chances of doing so on Saturday are regarded as very doubfKul. The Little River service is still interrupted, and tho work gang not being able to repair the breach in tho embankment on the line owing to tho washout. No effective work will be possible, it is reported, till the waters of Lake Forsyth go down.