SOUTHERLY GALE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20093, 24 November 1930, Page 10

SOUTHERLY GALE.

SNOW, HAIL, AND THUNDER.

RAIN WELCOMED BY .MOST FARMERS. Accompanied in come parts by storms of thunder and hail, in others by snow, and everywhere by ;< heavy fall of rain and bitter cold, a strong south-west gale swept across Canterbury yesterday. Although for the most part the rain was welcome to farmers, shearing will bo delayed, and those few stations which have already started may suffer some losses among the newly-shorn sheep. The storm seems to have reached its height in the Ainberley district, where about midday a thunderstorm —the heaviest remembered in at least ten years—was followed by a half-hour's fall of hail which did some damage to gardens. At iJarfield, ilororata, Oxford, and Methven a snowfall of between one and two inches was rbportcd. In Christchurch the day was bleak and coid, and most people remained indoors. Rain began at about 11 a.m. and continued, in intermittent, heavy showers, throughout the after- . noon and evening. Attendances at the churches were poor. The Post and Telegraph Department reported last evening that there hud been no interruption of services on account of the weather. Severe in the North. The severity of the storm seems to have been general over the whole province, and particularly in North Canterbury. At ilororata rain began at about 10.30 a.m., and by the afternoon 00 points had fallen. The fall of snow was estimated at about one inch, but it was quickly melted. The thunderstorm at Amberley was said to be the heaviest for the last ten years or more, and it was followed by a driving fall of hail and, later, by sleet. While the rain was very welcome in the district, the hail, it was thought, would do some damage. After a rough morning at Darfield snow began at 1 p.m. and continued without :i stop for two hours, by which time it was estimated that two inches had fallen. The vvoather was very cold. Akaroa had more rain than most parts of the province. There the fall began at 10.30 o'clock on Saturday night and, gradually becoming heavier, culminated in a fail of snow at about 3.30 p.m. yesterday. While the snow could not gain a hold near the bay, the hill-tops were rimmed with whit''. Losses of Sheep Feared. Ashburton reported heavy, consistent rain from early morning until about 1 p.m., and intermittent showers from this time until evening. There was a minor fall of hail. The rain was welcomed, particularly in the districts towards the const, where the feed has been getting dry. A thunderstorm at about 1.30 p.m. at Cheviot was followed by only a few showers of rain. Later iu the afternoon the farmers were asking for a heavier fall. There was two hours' snow at Oxford yesterday afternoon, and it was feared that the newlyshorn sheep would suffer. Kain began at about 11.30 a.m. and continued, with sleet and snow, throughout the day. The hills were covered with snow. Kaikoura received the southerly bluster at übout 2.30 p.m. There was then heavy rain, with the prospect of snow. About one inch of snow fell at Methven between 10 a.m. and 2.30 p.m., although heavy rain quickly washed it away. Shearing in this district is fairly far advanced, and lossi'3 of sheep were feared. TTawarden reported heavy rain and hail following a change in the weather from north-west to south-west. At Rangiora there was a fall of snow for three-quarters of an hour after 1 p.m. No damage was reported at the Loburn orchards. Air Service Maintained. In spite of the violence of the weather, the Air Transport aeroplane undertook its time-table journey to Dunedin yesterday, carrying two passengers from Christchurch and one on the return. The strong wind and rain squalls caused slight delay on the outward journey, which took three hours, but this was compensated for on the way back, when the distance of 200 miles wa3 traversed in one hour 28 minutes, which works out at the remarkable speed of 136 miles per hour.