UNUSUAL WEATHER.

Shannon News, 9 October 1928, Page 3

UNUSUAL WEATHER.

DARKENED SKY SUGGESTS DUST STORM. HEAVY RAIN FOLLOWS. Following a beautiful spring morning abnormally dull atmospheric conditions were noted yesterday afternoon, the sun being obscured, and the light of a yellowish tinge akin to the phenomenon experienced in 1918 when the smoke from the Raetihi bush fires darkened the sky in daytime. The use of artificial light was necessary in many shops and offices, which is most unusual at this time of the year. Many speculations were indulged in as to whether the conditions were' connected with the weather exparienced in Sydney on Sat* urday as revealed in the following cable: "Heavy winds recently lifted large quantities of dust from the parched areas in the West. These formed in an awesome cloudbank like fog, overshadowing the city in the forenoon like a threatening rainstorm, but they passed eastward in the direction of New Zealand." Yesterday's meteorological report, however, predicted electrical disturbances and probably the dull weather was the forerunner of these storms. Heavy rain came at 3.45 p.m., followed by a heavy gale.