THE WEATHER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3618, 17 July 1923, Page 41

THE WEATHER.

FROST IN QUEENSTOWN. SfluOM Our Own Uorrsspon dent. ) QUEENSTOWN, July 10. Nothing like the severity of the present frost has been experienced here since 1903. Twenty degrees cl frost have been registered for the last three nights, and though there has been bright sunshine each day, no thaw whatever has taken place. Besides the personal discomfort this is occasioning, much inconvenience has resulted through interference with the water supply. There is not a household that is unhampered in this respect, while many have no running service at all and are dependent on those who are fortunate enough to have coaxed one tap into commission. Almost every hot-water system came to grief days ago. Gum trees bear the appearance of having been scorched, and it is feared some of them will suffer the fate of those destroyed by the 1903 frost. Bad as conditions are here, however, it is evidently nothing to ihe cold which is being experienced in the mountain fastnesses of Skippers. Word was received from Skippers to-day that the temperature has been five or six degrees below zero, but the barometer is still very high. Runholders are faring badly, and the position will be intensified if a thaw does not set in soon. THE CROMWELL DISTRICT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) CROMWELL, July 10. The snowfall of a week rgo lias been followed bv a continuous peiiod of the hardest frost* known for very many years. As there has not been a thaw the snow is still lying down to a very low level, and severe frosts are still likely while this continues. Although no definite details are available, it is common knowledge there will be losses of sheep' on many runs. July 13. There was a miner thaw for a few hours this morning, the only alteration in two weeks of continuous frosts unequalled in severity for many years. Opinions are varying as- to the period of the last visitation of this nature. On Thursday morning there was another light fall of snow right down to the foothills. There is still a mantle of white in several runs. The sheep are said to be faring badly, and losses are inevitable, while in some instances thev will bo substantial. The prolonged and severe frosts are causing fruitgrowers much concern. Several thousand cases of apples are still held in local orchards, and it is feared that large quantities will be ruined. Until the thaw comes it will be difficult to say how the stock of apples will come out. ROXBURGH. July 10. From Saturday morning till this morning the frost registered has been 6. 12, 12. and 13 degrees respectively. It is the most severe weather that has been experienced fer over 20 years. Skating is in full swing. OTUREHUA. July 9. Settled weather with clear skies has replaced the unfavourable conditions of the past fortnight. The snow has not me/ted to any extent, and the frost has been very severe. 22, 23. and 27deg respectively having been registered on the last three nights. CONDITIONS AT ALEXANDRA. (From Our Own Correspondent.) ALEXANDRA, July 13. The district is experiencing exceptionally severe wintry weather. All the local dams are frozen, and skating is being enjoyed by many. Taps are frozen everywhere, inside as well as outside the Mouses. Milk and meat are also frozen hard. Old residents have to go back 20 years to find a parallel. All the water at Clyde being frozen, the Otago Central train had to water at Alexandra from the water main with the aid of a firehose. THAW IN QUEENSTOWN. (From Our Own Correspondent.) QUEENSTOWN, July 13. There was a great change to-day in the weather. The morning broke wonderfully mild, and there has been a fairly heavy thaw. SNOWBOUND SHEET. INVERCARGILL, July 13. Many runholdors in the hilly country of Southland are in a serious plight owing to the unusually heavy snowfalls, followed by extremely severe frosts. From 3ft to 4ft of snow is reported to be lying on the higher levels, and has become frozen As a consequence many sheep are snowed in, and in the Kingston district alone it is estimated that between 80,000 and 100,000 sheep are snow-bound, and have been for the last three or four weeks.

So far it lias been found impossible to get feed to them, and it is reported in uns case, whore the sheep were in a low condition. that i hoy have stalled to eat their own wool It is considered probable that, even if a thaw sets in, the percentage of losses will be very high. Ihe Southland Acclimatisation Society's ranger (Mr U. J. Evans), who has just returned from a trip to the Lakes district, states that the position there is so Lad that rabbits are feeding high up on gorse bushes.