HARDEST FROST OF WINTER

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23258, 20 July 1945, Page 4

HARDEST FROST OF WINTER

17 Degrees Registered , Clearing Of Snow From Streets A frost of 17 degrees, the hardest of the winter, was recorded in Timaru, yesterday. In manyparts of the town where there was still frozen snow, conditions were treacherous and pedestrians bad to pick their way to the middle of the roads where there were safe tracks. The previous hardest f.-ost was 16.4 degrees on June 21, the shortest day. Those who were astir early were aware of the fact that there had been a good frost, for the atmosphere was I much more biting than it has been on l recent mornings, when there have ; been frosts ranging from 8 to 11 j degrees. It was fortunate tliat yesterday s j frost did net toms earlier in the week when the town was under snow, for from five to six inches of ice would | then have had to be contended with. I Frozen taps were reported in plenty i yesterday, and tn one big business | establishment the staff would have had to miss their cup of morning tea I had not r quantity of water beer, left i in the urn’ overnight. Many cltizc: : who have wood.a wash tubs, and who ! leave water in the tubs to keep them I watertight, found a solid block of ice i instead of water yesterday morning, j and this has not happened to any extent previously this winter. Last week’s snowstorm has kept the outside staff of the Borough Engineer's Department very busy clearing up the main street and adjacent thoroughfares. The grader spent three days in the centre of the town oreaking up the frozen snow, practically all of which had to be carted away in lorries. Portion of the Arcade cleared | quickly, but at the western end there was still a fair quantity of snow yesterday morning. This disappeared I in the afternoon with the assistance of I the Council staff. I While the snow was thawing slowly in most parts of the town, it is likely Ito remain on shady places for the remainder of the winter. Apart from the floods in February. and further heavy rain in April, the weather on the. whole has been good. The total rainfall for the year up to yesterday was 22.89 inches, compared with 16.64 inches to the corresponding date last year, while the total sunshine recorded is considerably in excess of last year. This year’s total up to Wednesday night was 1044 hours as compared with 961.4 hours to the corresponding date last year. Settled weather has prevailed since last Saturday morning’s storm, the days being bright and sunny.