STORMY NIGHT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 July 1939, Page 4

STORMY NIGHT

MIXTURE OF EVERYTHING. FURTHER SNOW IN WAIRARAPA DISTRICT. Once again Masterton residents awoke this morning to a spectacle of snow, though on this occasion theie was only a sprinkling in evidence in town. It was stated, however, that during the night as much as an inch or so fell, a later shower of rain effectively removing the greater part of the snow. Between 4 and 4.30 a.m. a particular loud and prolonged roll of thunder disturbed most, sleepers and rattled Windows in houses and buildings. In the early part of the night a frost was recorded. The foothills of the Tararuas, the Te Whiti hills, the Maungarakis and Rangitumau Hill were all snow-clad this morning. As much as three or four inches of snow fell at Rangitumau, “nasty sticky stuff' this time." as a resident described it. Rain fell later and it appeared likely,that the snow would thaw fairly quickly. “We had a very stormy night.” said a Te Wharau resident this morning, “a heavy fall of snow in the early evening, followed by a frost, then hail, a thunderstorm, rain and a strong wind." Most of the snow had disappeared by this morning.

Last night's thunderstorm resulted in a power interruption in portion of the Te Ore Ore area, probably due to a transformer fuse being blown out.

The Rimutaka Road is again in a fairly treacherous condition, following on a further fall of snow and motorists are advised to exercise the utmost care in negotiating the hill, and to use chains.

A continuance of the bleak weather. with repeated falls of snow, is havits affect on stock. Following the drought in the early part of the year, winter feed is not over abundant, and the snow is accentuating the position. In many areas farmers have found it necessary to feed stock, The full effects of the unfavourable weather will be more apparent at lambing time. August is the vital month for farmers and the hope is. expressed in some quarters that as so much snow has fallen in July, there may be an improvement in August. Two bad traffic blockages occurred on the Rimutaka Hill yesterday on account of motorists leaving their cars to indulge in the sport of snowballing, as many as 200 cars being held up on one occasion. There were about two inches of snow on the road yesterday and a further fall which occurred during the night added another two inches. The Whakapuni Road, in the Martin-borough-East Coast area, has been blocked by snow for several days. There are bad drifts near the top of the Whakapuni Hill. ,