THE WEATHER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20536, 11 October 1928, Page 10

THE WEATHER.

SNOW IN CENTRAL OTAGO. THE RIVERS RISING. (Special to Dailt Times.) CROMWELL, October 10. Snow fell low down on the mountains for the greater part of last night, and with it there was a heavy cold rain on the flats. There was little alteration in the conditions to-day except that the rain on the flats has ceased. Storms and snow still continue on the mountains, where there is now a fair deposit, and the weather generally is unsettled. The rivers were still at a high level this morning, and have risen a few inches during the day. The postmaster at Alexandra advises as follows:—The river has risen four inches. Rain fell during the night, End there is snow on the high country. There is a probability of a further rise in the river. LAKE COUNTY REPORT. WORST SPELL FOR YEARS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) QUEENSTOWN, October 9. Were it not that the whole of the Dominion is experiencing one of the worst spells known for some years, it might be considered that Wakatipu had lost its reputation as regards the weather. Except for a couple of patches of sunshine such as we had here on Sunday and to-day it has been wet for many more days than we care to count. The matter of most concern, however, has been the rising lake. On the first day of the month its level stood at 4 feet 5 inches; the heavy rain in the back country and melting snows then caused things to move. From a rise of a couple of inches on the 2nd inst., this increased to a foot a day on Saturday and Sunday. This morning the lake had reached the Bft Din level, which is just about an inch or two inches from the top of the breakwater. The lower land towards the x-ailway wharf is under water, and steamer passengers have to be conducted by a gangway to the goods shed and through the latter to the wharf. The flood which occurred in January, 1924, brought about a similar condition of affairs. Fortunately we have not had the gales that have swept other parts of the Dominion, otherwise considerable inconvenience would have been caused property owners residing on the waterfront. The Shotovc" River, as well as the Rees and Dart Rivers at the Head of the Lake, were in high flood during the week-end, while all the streamit running into the lake were bank high. It is at a time such as this that the alteration in the storage of Lake Wakatipu caused by the sill level of the Kawarau dam makes itself felt. Several slips have been recorded in the outlying district. The road to Skippers has been rendered impassable at what is known as the Blue Slip. The Shotover undermined the “ toe ” of the country at this spot, with the result that a big slip occurred, carrying a length of the road with it. Another big slip occurred at the foot of the Remarkables just opposite the property of Messrs M’Adam Bros., of Glengylo. Stoney Creek became blocked by a small breakaway, and after a time the weight of water that had banked up burst through, bringing thousands of tons of debris with it. Huge boulders piled up on the road, and traffic was completely held up for a couple of days. On the new road that is being formed to connect up Queenstown and Kingston, there were washouts which block vehicular traffic for a time. To-day was bright and sunny, but drizzling rain has set in again to-night. FLOOD IN THE MOLYNEUX. (From Our Own Correspondent. ) BALCLUTHA, October 10. The Molyneux River continues to fall slowly, and the water is still many feet above the normal at the traffic bridge. It is estimated that a fall of three feet took place between yesterday noon and to-day. The weather changed for the worse last night, and has been very cold and stormy, with fierce intermittent rain showers. Much flood and surface water remains in evidence on the flats, and portions of the Balclutha-Kai-tangata, Balclutha-Tuapeka Mouth roads, and the low road to Port Molyneux are under water. On the lastnamed road, in the v icinity of the Waitepeka canal, the water lies fully seven feet deep, completely blocking all traffic. The work of constructing a new bridge and approaches, which had been commenced, will now be seriously delayed, but the flood will have the effect of showing the public works engineers what they have to contend with at this particular point, which has long been a bugbear to the travelling public. The worst feature of the present flooded state of the river is that in the event of further heavy rain in the Lakes district, the subsequent rise in the lower valley might easily prove disastrous to the settlements between Balclutha and tlie mouths of the river, which are lacking in embankments high enough to withstand a really big flood.