ERRATIC WEATHER

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19816, 21 February 1936, Page 11

ERRATIC WEATHER

FLOODS IN CANTERBURY. PHENOMENAL RAINFALL. _ CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. Maintaining its erratic course since the beginning of this month, the weather last evening changed to southwest, bringing heavy rain throughout the province, and causing considerable damage to crops. Roads were flooded in many districts, rivers are up, and two washouts have been reported from the railway between Culverden and Walau, temporarily interrupting | the service. Reports from farming areas state tljat much further damage has been done to crops, and heavy losses arc likely to occur owing to lhe sprouting of wheat -still in the stook. In th*‘ Leeston district, where five inches of rain has fallen since last evening, wheat stooks are standing in water and ruined pea crops are flouting on the surface. At th# Christchurch Magnetic Observatory 0.86 inches of rain were recorded between 4 p.m. yesterday and 9.30 a.m. to-day. Since the beginning of this month the rainfall recorded has been 4.30 inches, as against the mean average rainfall for the full month of February since 1900 of 1.94 inches. In no February since observations have been taken in Christchurch has the rainfall equalled that of the past 19 days. Further heavy rain, with cold temperatures, is predicted, with a prospect of flooding in North Canterbury.