TERRIFIC RAIN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16828, 15 December 1928, Page 5

TERRIFIC RAIN

HEAVIEST FOR DECEMBER

THUNDERSTORM PROLONGED

One of the severest rain storms for many years broke over the Poverty Bay flats last evening, when, to the accompaniment of lightning and thunder,'the heavens poured down cascades 1 of rain for hours, the total fall for the night being over 3in. No storm on record for the month of December, since records have been kept in Poverty Bay, has vieded as great a fall, and the flat country around Gisborne bore ample evidence this morning of the difficulty the surface water found in running away. Paddocks about Hex ton and in other lowlying portions of the district were under inches of water, and the drains and culverts were filled to overflowing.

It was shortly after a o’clock yesterday afternoon that the storm broke. Heavy clouds had piled up in the western skies, and had gradually covered the whole of the district, the atmosphere becoming almost stifling. With brilliant flashes of lightning and peal upon peal of thunder, the storm loosed its downpour* and, almost without cessation, the fall continued far into the night. Anxiety was aroused as to the safety of the farms on the Poverty Bay flats, for it was realised that if the same volume of rain was falling in the high country drained by the Whiphon River, there was a probability, of the Waupaca overflow.'-: ing its banks. Evidently the Whnta-’ tutu and Mangatu areas came off rather lightly, as compared with the country nearer Gisborne, for though there was a considerable rise in the level of the river this morning, there was no concern felt once, the tide had reached the flood. The actual record of the rainfall in Gisborne was 3.38 in., as from 9 o’clock yesterday until the same time to-day, No rain fell during the early part of that period, however, and the exceptionally heavy downpour between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. must have been responsible for the greater portion of the 24-hour record. At Te Karaka, during the same time, 2.29 in. were registered by the official guage, and there was also heavy rain at Motu and Matawai during the night. The river at To Karaka was swollen, but there was no danger of a flood on the flats, judging by its condition, and the 6ky overhead late in the morning was fairly clear. Over the Mangatu Valley, conditions had cleared up, and it was possible to say that any danger of a flood had passed. Apparently the storm was purely local to Poverty Bay, as on the. Coast the rain had been heavy, but not exceptional, and at East Cape only 83pts. Were recorded for the 24 hours ended at 9 a.m. to-day. At Napier, on the south, there was less than a third of an inch of rainfall, as against Gisborne’s 3.3BinN RECORD RAINFALL 3.381 N. IN 24 HOURS 5.611 N. FOR FIVE DAYS

The rainfall yesterday was the heaviest recorded iu Gisborne on any one day in the month of December, no less than 3.38 in. being registered for the 24 hours ended, at 9 a.m. ( to day. The rainfall for the first half of the month has now reached the total of 5.62 in. of which no less than 5.51 in. has fallen during the last five days. , The extent of yesterday’s rainfall may be judged from the fact that ih 24 bpurs the average for the month of December was exceeded by more than 50 per vent. Only ou 12 occasions in the past 50 years has the rainfall for the month of December exceeded that recorded yesterday, while the rainfall for the past five days has eclipsed the total for all but four previous Decembers. The wettest December on record was in 1893, when B.76iii. fell, but on that occasion the total was distributed over 17 days, whereas seven days only have contributed to the 5.62 in. registered for the first half of the present month. The wettest December in recent years "was in 1920, when on Boxing Day 1.22 in. fell, and a further l.oOin. the following day, the total for the month reaching 5.88 in. In December, 1922, 6.65 in. was recorded, of w’hieh 2.04 in. fell on December 18, and 1.58 in. and 1.09 in. on the two days immediately preceding Christmas Day. On one day in December of last year over an inch of rain fell, while on December 21, 1916, the rainfall was 1.80 in., and on December 9,1918,1.70 in. was j-ecorded. On eight days only in the past 12 years has there been more than one inch of rain in December.

The 3.38 in. recorded yesterday, however, is by no means a record for any one day, although the figure has seldom been exceeded in the summer months. The heaviest rainfall for any one day, at least in recent years, was 5.30 in. on June 11, 1917. On May 12, 1910, 5.04 in. fell; on August 2, 1916, 4.90 in.; on February 23, 1917, 4.05 in.; and on March 11, 1924, 4.98 in. DOWNPOUR AT MANOATU RIVER RISES RAPIDLY Through the night heavy rain fell in the Mangatu and Whatatutu areas, and this« morning the Waipaoa River was wcllabove the normal level. At Whatatutu, a rise of 4ft., such as was recorded this morning, means that a considerable addition has been made to the volume of the water carried by the river, as the bed of the Waipaoa is exceptionally wide close to the township. . /Inquiries made this morning established the fact that last night’s rain had been exceedingly heavy, and that the previous rains had given the country such a good soaking that the latent downpour Bimply drained oft' as quickly as it touched the ground.\The weather prospects at Whatatutu this morning were not bright, as showers were falling at intervals, and in the meantime a drizzle was keeping everything thoroughly wet, while the cloud formations wm obviously promising another drenching. The bed of the i river at Whatatutu was covered at 9 o’clock, and tii* prospect of more rain and a further rise in the level of the "•'-.river had been noted by the residents -7 of the township. The danger of flooding in the Waipaoa River always hinges on the conditions in the Mangatu, where the river drains a large area of land. There is never any danger of a serious flood if the Mangatu Valley does not suffer heavy rainfall, and farmers on the Pqverty Bay flats invariably evince interest in the reports from Whatatutu. TRis morning’s report was not con•iderqd m the body of water

which has raised the level of the river at Whatatutu will not make itself evident in the lower reaches of the Waipaoa until the tide is on the outflow, when the danger of any flood over the flats will be disposed of. Past floods have resulted generally from a meeting of the down-coming storm water yolume and the incoming tidal flow, with the consequent banking up in the lower portion of the Waipaoa River. EFFECT ON ROADS This week’s rain has held up the formation work on the main road between Rakauroa and Matawai, and the unniletalled portions which are being used by through traffic have been in a very soft state for several days. Cars have been in difficulties on mor« than one occasion, and it is reported that the contractor on one of the formation jobs has had to lend drivers of cars a helping hand. The service cars, however, have maintained their services without interruption, though not without slight delays. Despite the downpour last night cars left for the north again this morning. No word has been received up till noon as to how the cars negotiated this section of the road, but representatives of service companies anticipated that no great difficulty would be experienced in making the connection with Opotilci. The Wharerata hill, apparently, received the full force of the storm. Motorists report that the rain there was particularly heavy, and the thunder was of exceptional severity. No slips were reported by service drivers who arrived during the early hours of the morning, but it was stated that the water was over the road at Whakaki. Along the'coast, apparently, not nearly so much rain fell as in Gisborne last night, and service cars were able to make the trip to town without difficulty. Drivers were able to report that at least between Tokomaru Bay and Gisborne none of the streams presented any difficulty in the matter of crossing this morning.