SNOW IN CITY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18407, 13 June 1925, Page 14

SNOW IN CITY.

MISERABLE CONDITIONS PREVAIL. There could lio no doubt that tho weather was in its worst behaviour yesterday so far as Christehurch, and for that matter, tho greater part of Canterbury, was concerned. A\ ith tho exception of thunder showers an<l cyclones it displayed practically nil its phases from glorious sunshine to snort - storms nnd a miniature bliszflrd or two. Tho "change" occurred shortly after 1 o'clock yesterday morning, and boforo lonp; rain was falling in toiTouts. The storm Was accompanied by a- blustering sou'-west wind and altogether conditions wcro the reverse of pleasant. At 9 a.m. yesterday thero scorned a prospect of tho weather clearing but optimists woro disappointed, bccauso fierce yquulls from tno sou'-west continued throughout tho day. . At about 7 o'clock last night there was a heavy snow shower in tho city, and tho predecessor of several of a eimilar nature. Tho intonso cold seemed. if anything, to increase., and ah®" ll 9.30 p.m. enow and sleet covered tno ground and gavo the city a temporary white mantlo. On account of tho rain which had fallen, however, this did not lio on tho ground and quickly disappeared from tho streets, leaving them unpleasantly covered with a footwear pengtratiilg slush. During tno evening tno wind abated thus leit conditions slightly better. Tho stormy weather which began e&rlv in tho week at X'robbleton still continues. Heavy accompanied by sicot showors and piercingly cold winds, makes conditions unpleasant. Tho soil has received 'a thorough soaking and farm work is at a standstill. Thero was a sudden change in tho weather at Akaroa shortly after midnight ou Thursday, a southerly gale petting in with heavy showers of ram, lion and sleet. The upper-half of the ranges la well coatod with enow. A bitter wind blew throughout the day, but towards evening the outlook was brighter. At Okain's Bs,y yesterday tho weather was decidedly wintry. There was a sou'-wesfc wind, rain aiid sleety with enow on the higher levels. . Tho weather at SpriHgston during the past few woeks has been very wintry. Rain set in on Thursday at about midnight and continued throughout the day. Tho land is now very wet and acres arc under water. The idea or getting any autumn-sown wheat -in now can be given up. A few farriers have a small area in. There is nioro water on the land than during tho flood or two years ago. During the week fine days and wet days have alternated with almost clockwork regularity at Xeithneld. On Monday inches of rain fell on the ground that was already saturated, while Tuesday wfla pleasantly fine; but .21 inches of rain fell again on Wednesday. When the sun shone forth on Thursday hopes were entertained for a few fine drying days, but these were soon shattered for, during tho snifiU hours of yesterday morning, a sou - west storm broke, bringing with it strong winds and heavy raiii, followed by a lull. "When day dawned the cauntryside oUvelopod in q. rocuitj© of snow, which soon disappeared before the rays of the sun, which shone intermittently throughout the day. _ . Hangiora residents were surprised yesterday to finj, the whole country coverr ed with snow. The fall was practically confined to North Canterbury, as past Flaxfon 'there was no snow to be seen. On tllo hills to tho iiortli the fall wa«( fairly heavy, the whole of the dOifnsi being white. Yesterday the weather 1 was fine with light rain showers in she afternoon, which cleared away the snow on the ground very quickly. A very cold snip was experienced in Asliburton yesterday, writes our correspondent. The change was preceded by a strong southerly wind which sprang up at a late hour on Thursday night. This was followed by eleven points of raiii. ' Yesterday morning broke fine, but the wind, which was accompanied by heavy clouds, continued throughout the day. Shortly after 3 p.m. a heavy shower of sleet and hail fell; but it did not last for any length of time. During Thursday night snow feU in the districts around tho foothills, and . a heavy coat was visible on the ranges. Up to a late hour last night the weather was bitterly cold, and the'wind Bhowed no sign of abating, snow was oxpected. The weather at Ashley Bank continues to be very unsettled. After a warm, day, tho weather again changed on Thursday evening, thero being a heavy fall df snow early yesterday morning.. Hedvy showers of sleet foil during tho day, which was bitterly cold. '

During tho last threo weeks the weather at Scargill has changed with astonishing rapidity, havo been a few particularly fine days, interspersed with very wintry and wet weather, and consequently all farm work is how practically at a standstill. On Thursday evening there was every indication of a hard frost, but in the early hours of yesterday morning a heavy Sou'-wdst gale sprang up,.bringing with it, besides tho usual accompaniment of heavy showers, . a - blinding snowstorm, and at daylight the whole countryside was covered with a light mantle of snow. Tho stomi continued throughout the day, with froquent heavy showers of rain and' snow.

After a perfect spring day on Thursday, there was a complete change at Amberley yesterday. During tho early hours of tho morning a southerly buster sprang ujS, accompanied by hail, s\eotj and snow. Though the surrounding hills received a heavy coat, the plains only experienced a' light fall,. which quickly disappeared during tho day* All told, up to 9 a.m. yesterday, 67 points of rain were registered. The change camo at an inopportune period, as at present the farming community are almost ready to sow their grain crops, which iii consequence will not now be sown until tho spring. ' The weather at Rakaia during the last few days been very cold. Oh Thursday evening thero was a consider* able fall iri the temperature, and during the night a strong south-west wind rose } and several heavy showers of rain fell. Yesterday morning the rain had ceased, and although the sun shone for a short time, the wind was piercingly cold. Before noon a heavy shower: of sleet and hail fell, and during the afternoon thero were several showers of rain, with an occasional gleam of Sunshine. The rainfall registered for the last- twepty-fotir hours was 30 points. Tho wind continues to be very boisterous and cold.

The hitherto changeable weather seemed to become mpre settled at Sefton on Thursday, but duriiig tho night a, sou-wester blew up, bringing with it rain and then snow. In tho morning, the snow had ceased, but there was from a half to one inch on tho ground. Yesterday ahowera of sleet, togother with tho thawing snow, have mado the ground more sodden than ever.

The rainfall recorded at'' The Press'' Office up till 1 o'clock this morning was 82 points. b

AT LYTTELTON.

Boisterous conditions prevailed, at Lyttelton from an early hour>yesterday morning. Heavy showers of rain and sleet fell at intervals during the morn* mg, accompanied by a high wind; Work oh the_ wtcmonfc was proceeded with under difficulties. Conditions improved

(Coatimwd at foot of next column.)

considerably during the a rising s barometer Ana n In spitb of the severity o(,iinH| the ferry steamer MtfurojnfSimH smart trijs from W«Umgtoi s , Lyttelton at 8.10 a.m» B» not encounter the eoutbarly 3 a.m., and as there was little HUH! she lost very little time. J SOUTH CANTERBURY. -JIM (special to "zbs JlffiS]! Bitterly cold copditions Timaru to-day following on wind which sprang ujj cm ' jMgflffllflM night. There, was %: light during the night, thrw> pdiafa|j;iHMM registered, but later tbo became much colder end of frost were recorded Snow the Mackenzie Country carriage roofs of tho f"Biri«e w»fi|3M|||| a light coating of snow .when reached Tiniaru this morning. * after 3 o'clock in tho af|*n«Xto*aßKH flakes of snow»fell in Tirnarn. Advice was received to-day result, of the southerly storm on TaffiSragjg day night, snow had commenced at The Hermitage, Mt. Cqofc.' jKSIlii inches had fallen this was still showing. Tbo ly snowfall gives every a successful *setfooa for ;tae Sgorts during'"July and WINTRY IN PUNEOBflf^l (CSESS ASSOCWBO* WTifffll DPNEDIN, JtmlmM Tho -weather was bitterly'«Qff ■gWHM Snow showers fell during the hills surrounding the 4Q<nijgffiHHH| white coating." To-night is BOS*