WELCOME RAIN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 49, 5 March 1946, Page 5

WELCOME RAIN

WEEKEND DOWNPOUR

OVER HALF INCH RECORDED ; The heavy rain which fell on Sunday represented the most : substantial fall recorded in the Eastern Bay since October 26. [ In all .65 inches was measured i on Sunday which with .15 inches [ further yesterday morning

brought the rain up to nearly an inch, which did much to re- } fresh the starved and burnt up pastures on the Rangitaiki Plains.

Although Whakatane area did not *> receive as thorough a drenching as Opotiki, which experienced a thunder storm on Saturday evening the rain was penetrating and widespread, and the sudden drop in temperature which followed bids fair to definitely conclude the long period of drought. The general impression is that the rain, welcome though it was; was not sufficient to correct the drought effects and more is urgently needed. At Edgecumbe .63 was measured on Sunday morning bringing the total for the year up to 1.03 inchesc. For the past four months the measurement was only 3.74 inches. Over the past 11 years February has proved a month of extreme and during that period less than an inch has been registered in each of four Februarys, while in 1936 and 36, 11.37 inches and 15.03 inches fell respectively. ,