WEATHER IMPROVES

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 492, 29 June 1932, Page 7

WEATHER IMPROVES

Sun Shines in Canterbury To-day. FROSTS IN THE COUNTRY. Following rain overnight, the wintry conditions experienced in Canterbury yesterday gave way this morning to brighter conditions. In many country districts there were frosts, and these were welcomed by farmers as the)" will break up the land for spring sowing. After a rainy night in Christchurch, the morning gave promise of a fine day, but shortly after 11 a.m. ominous clouds mounted up from the south, and heavy rain began to fall again in showers shortly before midday. By 12.30 the sky had cleared, and it appeared that the afternoon would be fine and sunny. The heavy fall of snow in the Midland district yesterday did not affect telephone communication with the West Coast, but broken wires on the automatic signalling devices on the railway needed attention. The signals were out of order between Cass and Springfield, though the damage was soon repaired. The signal wires, being weaker than the telephone wires, broke under the weight of snow. At Springfield, a beautiful day' followed a slight frost. There were still two inches of snow on the ground, and this was thawing rapidly under the heat of the sun. The wind was northwest. Similar conditions obtained at Darfield, a slight frost following a cold and fine night. The snow had all melted at Oxford, where the sun was out, with not a cloud in the sky. In the back country it was reported there had been further falls of snow; at Rockford, near the foothills, 'there were three or four inches of snow, and the hills were well coated down, to the level. Excellent conditions for ski-ing obtain at Arthur’s Pass. New snow has fallen on the old layer, and the sun was shining to-day after a hard frost. There are sixteen inches of snow in the township, and greater depths up the gorge. The Railway Department will take advantage of these conditions and run an excursion to the Pass on Sunday.