SNOW IN TOWN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20000, 27 July 1939, Page 4

SNOW IN TOWN

GROUND COVERED SNOWBALLING NOVELTY PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN FLAT LAND COATED FALL OF THREE HOURS A snowfall lasting for about two hours occurred ki Gisborne this morning, while on ihe flat land out in the country it tasted for about three hours.

This experience is unprecedented. Tlie oldest residents cannot remember a previous snowfall in Gisborne of the nature of that to-day. A few odd flakes have been-known to come down, the last occasion being very early one morning about eight years ago. but there has never been sufficient before to allow the snow to lie on the ground.

To-day. however, the snow fell thickly l’or about an hour and a half, and quite early beg-avi to lie on the ground, so that after two hours there was a white coating about a quarter of an inch thick in the open spaces, with even deeper coatings in odd places.

The novelty of snowballing was engaged in by both young and old in several .places, .particularly in school grounds, .where the young foil; enjoyed the experience. In the town, too, at the rear of offices, where snow had collected, many of the younger spirits from business iplaces took a few minutes otl’ to roll snowballs and indulge in playful -bombardments.

Snowballing Popular

The experience was a novelty for probably the majority of the people in Gisborne. Large numbers have never seen snow -at close quarters before, and many took the opportunity of going out and becoming covered in white flakes, even before snowballing was possible. In town the first sign of snow was noticed shortly before 8 a.m., when very fine flakes began to descend. At that time there were no clouds overhead, the -only one in the sky toeing well down on the southern horizon. The fine powtlcry snow was apparently driven from this cloud. At first the powdery particles floated in the air like thistledown, then, after a few minutes ceased entirely, only to be resumed in like manner shortly afterwards. By 8.30 o’clock the powdery snow whs falling thickly, with occasional larger flakes, and it was commencing to lie on the ground.

By 8.45 -a.m. a proper snowstorm had >:e't in, and ,the whole sky was covered with a dull, grey cloud. The snow continued to increase in density, and quickly a white covering settled over the landscape. Very little was -seen, to be lying in the main street, where the continual traffic prevented it gathering, but in the side streets and on macadam toads with little traffic the white coating showed up in striking contrast to the surrounding colours.

The snow ceased by 10.15 a.m. and shortly after that -a warm sun shone out, quickly melting the snow in exposed positions, although in the shaded corners it lay about for some time afterwards.

Inquiries among some of the oldest residents reveal that in their memory there -has never -been a snowfall of such -a nature in Gisborne before. One resident who has lived here for 67 years states that he has never seen snow in the town, and ho is supported by others who have been tie re for long periods. Last, night was particularly cold, and the minimum temperature on the grass fell to 19 degrees, equal to 11.3 degrees of frost, one of the worst of the season. Ice was plentiful on exposed water.

Services Uninterrupted

Although extreme caution was necessary on some routes, mail, passenger and freight services ran to schedule, drivers reporting that the falls appeared to he confined to the higher country. Early this morning -Public Works Department lorries were not attempting to climb the Wliarerata Hill road, owing to the treacherous nature of the bitumen surface. Snow had fallen fairly heavily in this locality and made conditions for driving very difficult, but later in the morning the service cars for the south, leaving Gisborne on schedule, made the ascent of the hill and continued on to Wairoa.

The overnight mail lorry was able to get through from Wairoa, although it was reported that one motorist, travelling from Morere to Gisborne, took four hours for the journey, normally an hour and a half trip.

The freight service from the railhead at Taneatua reached Gisborne on time, no trouble being experienced en route. The service car to the north left on schedule this morning. East Coast Route The East Coast road is in good order, despite fhe fact 'that the early car from Ruatoria this morning arrived with a liberal coating of snow. The driver reported that, until in the vicinity of Whangara, he had not met much snow, but from that point on, the country was carrying a fair mantle of white. The beaches presented a pretty picture, the snow reaching down to the water’s edge. Gentle Annie Hill, on the Gis-bornc-Wairoa State highway, was covered to a depth of 2in in places and the road surface was very tricky. The A.A. resident patrol, Mr. G. V. Merton, reported this morning that stock travelling on the hill was having difficulty in keeping its footing. With a good run-up, the hill could be negotiated, but any stoppage made on the hill would make it very difficult for motor traffic to get under way again. It was thought that the road would be i n its usual state abbut noon. Mr. Merton said that at 10.30 o’clock this morning the Wharerata Hill road had been very slippery, but if was drying rapidly and was soon back to normal. Nuhaka had had a very light fall in the township, but, about a quarter of a mile out, the snow fall had been heavy. Roads in this locality were all open, but were reported to be slippery. Motorists were advised to exercise caution on all roads, but there was no cause for concern, nor fear of traffic dislocation.