THE WEATHER. August 4.

Otago Witness, Issue 2578, 12 August 1903, Page 33

THE WEATHER. August 4.

A thaw has taken place in the Upper Waitaki district, but the snow is disappearing very gradually. The worst effect of the fall •was iih<s subsequent drifting of the snow, to ■which cause the great part of the mortality amcii-gst the sheep is due. The sheep that are now alive on tlie ranges have sufficient clear country to ■enable them to obtain food, and where it is possible those on the flats are being drifted up to the spurs where the snow has meltedr On the low country, however, from Kurow upwards, there is mot likely to be a general" clearance of snow for «rt least another fortnight, even if fairly favourable weather prevails. It i-3 absolutely impossible to give anything like an accurate estimate of the mortality that is Jikely to result from tlie snowfall, but on a rough calculation the loss may be set down at from 20 per cent, to 50 per c&nt. according to locality and the conditions prevaibng. At Oamarama the snow has disappeared from a few spots, but the greater part of the country is still covered. A' Benjnorc, Morven Hills, and Hawkdun there lias been no appTeciable improvement, and at these placci3 the outlook is anything but pleasant to contemplate. A Sutton correspondent informs us that there wa-s -a complete thaw on Sunday last, and that, the snow having almost disappeared, the safety of the sleek in the district is assured.

Out of a flock of 600 sheep on the farm of Mr Sparks, Stavcley, Canterbury, he bus <wily been able to save three truck loads (about 180), all the others having pertehed in the snow.

August 10,

So far as piockownors were concerned, the weather that prevailed on Saturday morning was most v elcome. After the snowstorm on July 10 and 11 it was recognised that a warm wind or v. arm rain waa •■necessary before it could be hopsd that the snow "would disappear quickly enough to fifive the sheep a chance of getting food. iFor four weeks the hop-es of the owners •were .disappointed, and 'during that time tlie weather was very severe, cold southerly ■winds and intense frosts prevailing almost ■without interruption. A warm wind from the north «&t hi on Saturday morning, however, and information to hand, though .somewhat ecant, indicates that the snow has been melting rapidly. In some places, indeed, it was feared that the sudden thaw might result in a flood ; buc whatever danger •there may have been in this direction would probably be averted by the change that took place on Saturday afternoon, when the ■wind changed to the south and again be--canie cold. The clearance of e now will proibably have been sufficient to allow tlie sheep to move about a little, and the lower country may possibly be free from its coating, in which case the outlook will be eou-cidc-rably improved. The Railway Departmc.it .received advice on Saturday from Hyde and Ida. Vallry to tho effect that a rapid thaw had set in. The show w*3 apparently melting very fast, as it was suggested that a flood wa.s within the bounds of possibility. Nothing of this mature has, however, taken place so far.

Our Oamaru correspcml-ent telegraphs: — According to the latest advices, snow is still Sieavy on a number of ihe larger stations 3;eyond Kurow. but Friday, Saturday, a.in-1 Sunday aU being very mild it may be expected that a good thaw has heon experienced right through to the. West Coabt. Oi Saturday i ■very d) c agit-C-<tb'e nnr'-w e->t<'t 'blew for come hou'i, and wa-, fo'lcwd by rain Brown patches are now appearing on ths Kakanui Mountains, and fchi« may lie taken s.s a fa\ourab!e indication.

Our Naseby correspondent telegraphed on Saturday: — A gale af v nd is blowing. ca> ■=- in-a a gi<-at thaw, a-id it 13 probable a .flood will follow.

Our Cromwell correspondent telegraphed o.i Saturday :— A wa -m northerly wind l.as been blowing: since yesterday morning. It is new raining heavily. The rivers are rising, but not very fa=t. The slow is