RAIN IS NOT LIKELY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20541, 16 February 1935, Page 11

RAIN IS NOT LIKELY.

Dull Skies and Low T emperatures. The dull skies, cold temperature and south-west wind prevailing in Christchurch to-day do not necessarily mean rain. It is not expected that rain will fall in the city over the week-end. although cold and overcast conditions are likely. During the past week, barometric pressure has been fairly high, and today was higher than yesterday. This fact seems to indicate dull weather. Until pressures start to vary a good deal more, due to changing cyclonic conditions, weather prophets cannot forecast rain. To-day’s sharp drop in temperature, which caused winter underwear to be dug out of storage, is only one of the factors which combine to bring about rain. The clouds, too, are thin, and are not high enough for the precipitation of rain. For rain to eventuate, there must be a sufficient supply of moisture in the air. and at a height of up to 30,000 feet. The present clouds are well below 10.000 feet, and are so thin that the sun frequently shines through them The odd showers of rain and light falls experienced in some districts have been caused through local conditions—proximity to hills. Cook and Foveaux Straits, and other factors.