MIDSUMMER FROSTS

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 139, 27 January 1939, Page 4

MIDSUMMER FROSTS

CHRISTCHURCH SURPRISE SIX RECORDED THIS MONTH Frosts in January are surprising enough, but when there are six recorded by the twenty-second day of the month, the weather can be looked on as remarkable, 'writes a Christchurch correspondent; On Sunday morning the temperature on the grass was 25.5 degrees Falireinhcit, a frost of 6.5. degrees. Last Thursday morning there was a frost of 5.3 degrees. Late on Saturday night it was obvious that toward' morning the temperature would be cold. Windscreens on motor cars parked for the evening were frosted, and cyclists were feeling the need for gloves. - Until this year no frost in January greater than 5.8 degrees had been officially recorded. That frost was recorded in 1935. Records have been kept in Christchurch since 1905. For. the last two years frosts have been unknown until the second week ’in March, so that for 1939 they are two months ahead of schedule.

The table of frosts this year is:— Deg January 10 2 January 11 0.1 January I*3 0.5 January 18 5.6 January 19 5.3

January 22 ..'. 6.5 Although stone-fruit and tomato growers had no complaints to make, it is certain that many householders will have suffered losses with their domestic supplies of beans and perhaps celery.