STORM SWEEPS PROVINCE

Southland Times, Issue 24438, 19 May 1941, Page 6

STORM SWEEPS PROVINCE

SNOW FALLS IN SOME DISTRICTS HEAVY SHOWERS OF RAIN A storm bringing snow with it to some districts in Southland broke over the province during the week-end. Developing on Saturday afternoon, rain continued with varying intensity for most of the afternoon. In Invercargill it slackened off in the early evening and continued intermittently through the night. There was a particularly heavy fall of rain several hours before dawn yesterday and throughout the morning a south-westerly wind, which at times reached gale force, made conditions unpleasant. Hail fell in the city during the afternoon yesterday, and about 5 o’clock there was an almost imperceptible fall of snow. The wind maintained its force through the night and was still strong at a late hour. Heavy rain which started yesterday afternoon thoroughly soaked the Gore district. The temperature dropped sharply and last evening shortly after 7 o’clock snow fell for about a quarter of an hour, leaving a light coating. At Riversdale the weather was rough from Saturday afternoon on, while boisterous winds brought rain and hail in the Waikaka Valley, the Chatton district and the Waimea Plains. A traveller who arrived at Gore from Dunedin last night reported that a snowstorm occurred about 7 o’clock between Clinton and Gore and left the ground coated with white.

Heavy rain fell in the Lumsden district on Saturday morning. It continued practically all day yesterday and it was very cold. The back country appeared to receive a heavy fall of snow, as did the hills in the Mossburn district. Snow fell at Winton about 6 o’clock last evening, but quickly disappeared. The weather at Bluff was bitterly cold and stormy over the week-end. On Saturday work on the wharf was considerably hampered. The conditions were probably responsible for the comparatively small number of electors who exercised their votes, the poll being the smallest recorded for many elections. Yesterday was even colder; the westerly wind increased to gale force and heavy rain and hail fell throughout the day.