THE WEATHER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10679, 28 January 1913, Page 4

THE WEATHER.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN. The injunction to " never mind about the weather " was not practicable yesterday. About four o'clock in tho afternoon rain commenced to fall steadily and gradually increased in force till about 6.30 p.m., when.it became tropical. Tho gutters were quite unable to carry away the flood water, and as a consequence many streets became impassablo for pedestrians. At the corner of Tuam Street and Fitzgerald Avenue tho water covered the road from side to side, and at tho intersection of Tuam and Barbadoes Streets the road was also under water. In Madras Street, near the fire brigade station, the water quickly accumulated, "and in many quarters the footpaths were submerged. As usual, Cathedral Square becan:«" a miniature lake, the corner to the north of the Cathedral and the southern entrance of Worcester Street being tie two worst spots. Taxi-cabs, hurrying hither and thither, made clouds of spray, in this respect resembling hydroplanes at full speed. The outlying portions of the city suffered also, and in somo places, notably Merivale Lane, pedestrians could just get along. The rain was accompanied by an electrical disturbance of great severity. The lightning was very vivid and the thunder-claps were awe-inspiring. Judging by the very short space between the flash and the thunder peal, the centre of the storm could not have been far from the city. In one or two cases people were startled at seeing blue flames leap from the telephone boxes in their houses, but inquiries made at tho central office showed that no actual damage had been reported. Mr A. D. Dobson, city- surveyor, stated last evening that lie. had not had any reports in regard to damage being done.to works or to difficulties on account of floods. An inspection of the streets will be made to-day. ' v A very heavy thunderstorm passed over Kaiapoi at about seven o'clock last night, bringing with it a deluge of rain. Within half an hour the 'water at the .intersection of Cookson and Cliarles Streets was well across the footpath,; and shortly after had covered the roadway about an inch deep in the highest part. At the intersection of Black and Raven Streets tho water .rose rapidly and ran through the gratings into the cellar of the Mandevillo Hotel, filling it to a depth of about four feet. Towards eight o'clock the rain eased off, and the waste -water subsided rapidly. v During Sunday afternoon and early evening a most unseasonably cold southerly wind, accompanied by heavy showers, passed over the Temuka district. Before seven o'clock the storm blew itself out, and the weather cleared up and remained fine until about middav yesterday, when rain again set in ana another storm not so bitterly cold as tha.t on the previous day, but accompanied by heavier rain, was experienced., , ' ;: Rain set in unexpectedly, throughout tho northern district shortly after one o'clock .yesterday, and -continued throughout the .afternoon. At times the downpour was of tropical heaviness, and pools of water, speedily collected in the hollows, "whilst the dust wa,s washed off the roads. The hajvestingy which is now general in ' the district, was i brought to an abrupt standstill. The rain was a cold one, but there being little or no wind it is not likely to do any damage to the crops. ' A-.•thunderstorm- .raged, over Wad- | dington yesterday afternoon. Hail started about the size of pigeons' eggs and lasted about fifteen minutes, fqlj lowed by a perfect deluge of smaller [stones. Garden stuff was utterly, de- ! stroyed and uncut crops suffered severely. The noise of the storm was deafening inside, fires were extinguished, and water found its way into the houses: A thunderstorm which passed over Ashburton shortly after two o'clock yesterday w»,s followed by a cold southwester, with heavy rain, and continued throughout the afternoon. The rain will be very beneficial to the grass and root crops, but will stop all harvest work for some days. During the thunderstorm hailstones fell with great force, and damage was done to fruit a.nd standing corn. A very heavy thunderstorm passed over Gerakline at midday yesterday, and from 12 till 1.30 the vivid lightning was accompanied by a great downpour of ,rain and some hail. In the outskirts of Qeraldine the hail was more severe and it is feared that, some of the crops suffered rather badly. There, has been a very considerable fall in the temperature since Saturday.