TWO HOURS’ SNOWFALL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16497, 6 August 1921, Page 10

TWO HOURS’ SNOWFALL.

A RAPID THAW.

HEAVY COATING ON HILLS. A snowfall of barely two hours’ duration placed a white mantle on the city this morning, but in less than an hour after it ceased to snow a rapid thaw had cleared every trace of snow from the city, leaving only the heavily coated hills as a reminder of the visitation. The extremely low barometer recorded on Thursday night was expected to bring foul weather in its train. Late last night southerly rain squalls swept the city, and a very cold wind suggested snow. The first fall in the city, however, did not occur until about 6 a.m. or a little later this morning. Falling on wet ground it did not lie heavily. Lawns and gardens were covered to a depth of an inch or so, and by seven o’clock the majority of roofs were white, although the snow did not lie on the roads. At 7.40 the snow ceased, and the wind that i olio wed had such, a drying effect that long before noon footpaths and tarred macadam road surfaces in the city were quite dry. Heavy clouds in the south threatened further snow storms, but the rise in the temperature was reassuring.

Snow was general over North Canterbury. It lay from one to two inches on the plains, and deeper at Oxford and on the hills. By noon all the snow on the plains had disappeared. At noon the magnetic observatory reported the probability of further snow.

The weather was dry overhead at noon, but the sky was obscured by heavy dark clouds, which gave promise of further snow. At this time the tops of the Port Hills were invisible from the city, and it was evidently snowing up there. The lower portions of the hills were white with snow. About one o'clock a few flakes of snowfell iu the city, and from then until two o'clock there were occasional light falls. Shortly after two o’clock the snow began to fall in earnest. Hpwevor, the flakes were not large and they melted as soon a 6 they touched the wet ground. Conditions out of doors were very unpleasant, and for a Saturday afternoon the streets wore quite a deserted air. The snow ceased falling again about three o’clock, but heavy clouds * still hung in the sky. Most of the games set down for today were played as usual. SNOW AT AKAROA. (Special to the “ Star.”) AKAROA, August 6. Heavy rain eet in here last night. The hills around the harbour were covered with snow this morning, and it was still snowing heavily. The sea is rough. Fortunately there are very few lambs about. FLOODS AND GALES, EXPERIENCES AT EAST CAPE. (Per Press Association.-* GISBORNE, August 6^ A telegram from Ruatorea, Cape district, report* extraordinary weather. Strong westerly gales have been blowing for a week, uprooting trees in all directions. There is snow on the mountains, heavy thunderstorms have been experienced every day, sometimes lasting for hours, and the rivers are flooded. Over seven inches of rain have fallen since last Saturday.