MANTLE OF WHITE

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22063, 14 June 1943, Page 2

MANTLE OF WHITE

13.4 DEGREES OF FROST FOG LIFTS DURING NIGHT A mantle of white frost cloaked the district this morning when the heaviest frost recording for the year to date was taken at Ruakura, the reading being 13.4 degrees. Contrary to the foggy conditions of recent days this morning dawned fine, cool, and clear. Early last evening a thick blanket of fog soon appeared after a fine and sunny afternoon. The peak of the fog was reached about 10 p.m. last night but gradually the mist disappeared and early risers saw a complete covering of white on lawns, roofs, gates and hedges. Underfoot the scrunching of the thickly laid frost sounded like snow. Freak of Frost Strange freaks of frost were seen in Hamilton East where one footpath was sprinkled with large hailstones which had an unusual origin. Ice which covered the telephone wires melted in the first rays of the sun and fell in large drops, which froze again in their fall and rolled on the footpath in round hailstones. The traffic bridge provided sport for passing school children, for it was coated with a thin film of ice. The cold atmosphere last night had a detrimental effect on watches and clocks, resulting in some people being late for work. Some reports of frozen taps- have been made, while central heating plants in business premises were unable to function for some time owing to ice blockages in the pipes. Although this morning’s frost was the heaviest this winter it dees not approach last year’s recording of 17.5 degrees in August.