THE WEATHER.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 764, 22 July 1916, Page 11

THE WEATHER.

HEAVY AND GENERAL RAIN. WEST COAST RAILWAY INTERRUPTED. The weather during this week has been varied enough to suit most people. Canterbury has been treated to rain, sunshine, nor'-westers, and now rain again. Last Sunday was fairly damp. For the 24 hours previous to 9 a.m. .145 was the rainfall, and to 9 a.m. on Monday .065. Monday it cleared, and for three days the weather was perfect, giving place on Thursday to a nor'-west wind. Yesterday was fine, but at about midnight rain commenced to fall. It continued steadily, and by 9 a.m. today, over half an inch had fallen, the Magnetic Observatory in Christchurch registering .510. Although it must do the country good, rain is not needed just now, and certainly not nor'-westers, for the farmers' one wish at present is for frosts, good and hard. The mild weather is giving orehardists no end of anxiety for their fruit trees. So far this year 15.341 inches of rain have fallen, as compared with 9.920 for the same period last year. Our Ashburton correspondent writes: The nor'-wester that blew on Thursday was one of the hardest for some time, but on Friday the wind dropped and a light rain set in that became heavier towards night. The wind will dispel the fears of those residents who were dependent upon windmills for their supply of water, while the rain will counteract any drying effects the wind had. RAILWAY WASHOUT, WEST COAST LINE INTERRUPTED. The heavy rains of the past few hours have had the effect of interrupting railway communication with the West Coast. The local ofiicc of the Railway Traffic Department has received information of a wash-out on the line at a spot near Cass, 55 miles from Rolleston. The washout is of considerable extent, being 00ft long and 80ft deep, rendering through traffic impossible. There is no train at the Cass end of the line (stales the department), and the coaches cannot cross th'e river, which is some eight or nine feet above normal level. A gang of men will be dispatched as soon as possible to repair the line.