THE WEATHER.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11492, 27 January 1903, Page 5

THE WEATHER.

HEAVY DOWNFALL OF BAD?,

A very heavy south-west etorm -woe experienced in the EUeumere. district on Saturday night and Sunday, and lias done a good deal of harm to the grain crops, writes our Leeston correspondent. The former rains and storms were summer ehowers as compawl with the latest downpour. Thousands of acres are laid flat as though trodden down with mobs of sheep, while the lighter paddocks a**, twisted a«d damaged to a very great extent. The fanners are greatly disappointed, as the prospwjts had previously been very bright. If the . weather eleam up now, however, the damage will not be ir» reparable. A good hot nor'-wester and plenty of sunshine would speedily improve matters, but the loss will be extensive T ri Ih© 'heavy crops, as a- large quantity will be co badly broken and , laid •that k> cannot, be properly reaped and harvested. The • bariev well aleo be a good deal discoloured. • At Beaohcroit Mr D. McMillan's sain, guage registered the rainfall as 1.60 in, and at daylight yeet&rday nil ihe low-lying* lands and hollows were undar water.

The heavy rain of Sunday laid mwn* of j the heavy crops down in part* of the Aehburton district. Out correspondent etatei that with a fast, return of warm weather nothing serious will resuk. The Timaru "Post" etates that a change took place in the weather in the Mackenzie on Sunday. Rain commenced l lo fall in the early momkt§, and grew heavier j as the day -wore on. A steady downpour ' continued throughout the afternoon, and it was still raining wheat darkness set "n. ■ It continued well into 6he night; Yesterday the sky was overcast, hut there was every prospect of its clearing off. Snow fell on the top* of lite ranges. Our telegraphic report showed that at nine o'clock rain was falling at a large number of North and South laland stations, including Wellington and Dunedin. The weather wae overcast and gloomy in nearly every part of the colony, Timaru and Oamaru being amongst the few towni • favoured with blue *ky. By five o'clock in the afternoon the weather had cleared in nwst of the towns. .

Sunday afternoon, night, and Monday morning a steady rain fell in the Waifcaii district, and there is every indication taa* it is not all away yet. "These frequent raine are udfortunate, roat is prevaieot 'Q many crops, and the harvest, though a good one, will be very late. (PEESS ASSOCIATION TELEOEAM9.) . MASTERTOX, Jaooary 26. Two inches 59 point* of rain fell il forty-eight, hours, ami over 2ia nave Mier during the last twenty-four houre, multing in considerable damage to the crop*' in th« district. Harvesting vm well forward, and promised good returns. - - FEILDING, January 26. *' There was a. heavy thundenrtana ancl much rain yesterday. NELSON', January 26. Some damage was dene to the cut graia on Sunday night, many o ( the stxwufc being flowdedl by heavy' rain, and MOW etooks were washed away from the lowlying lands?. rX-VERCARGILL, Januarr 26/ Cold, drizzly, wjutherly weatieriMNi'i , ©* turned. La*t week's jsiaisitine VftnmvA, ttt4f growth of ceri>a!» very much, ' -^