COLD AND STORMY WEATHER

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 66, 5 August 1938, Page 2

COLD AND STORMY WEATHER

HEAVY RAIN YESTERDAY FURTHER. SNOWFALLS Steady rain commenced to fall yesterday morning, accompanied by a bitterly cold wind. The day was probably the coldest experienced this year and although the weather cleared somewhat in the afternoon the night was very cold. A heavy storm occurred out in the Bay of Plenty, heavy flashes of forked*-, lightning being Visible from Opotiki. Further falls of snow occurred in the night mi the Raukumaru range, and although tlie weather was sunny this morning, conditions remained bitterly cold. Reports from other districts show that Opotiki escaped very lightly yesterday. The Rotorua district experienced a real blizzard and a fall otf snow occurred in the borough. lasting for an hour. This was the first fall of snow for several years, in Rotorua. The surrounding hills were thickly covered and the ltotoruaNapier road is again blocked by deep snow on the roads. The Opotiki-Gisbornc highway is giving further trouble and the road at Otoko is stated to be completely blocked by the moving hillside. The mail service between the two hays has been disorganised for several days. The trouble is the worst experienced since the Waioeka route lias been opened and further trouble is likely for some time, owing to, the saturated condition of the Poverty Bay hills. Sleety rain has been falling to-day on tlie hills south of Opotiki.