THE WEATHER.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 March 1921, Page 4

THE WEATHER.

RAIN BREAKS DRY SPELL. DRIEST PERIOD IN THIRTY YEARS. Threatening conditions in New Plymouth yesterday vnded in torrential showers in the late afternoon. The downpour was unusually heavy for a time, and the rain water swirled over the roadways, overtaxing the capacity of the channelling, <wh»iile the dow’npipes ton buildings contributed to the volume of water. The rain caused a general cessation of pedestrian traffic, and also of most vehicular movement. After the continued dry spell the rain will be generally- welcomed by town and country residents. While the householder has been eagerly awaiting rain for his garden, pastoralists have been daily reminded of the drought by the shortage of feed and a general depletion of the grass areas. According to records kept by the New Plymouth electric light department, such a continued period of dry weather has not been experienced in Taranaki in the whole of the thirty years for which lain guage observations have been made. The official weather report issued last

night says present indications are fdr high west to south-west winds; weather cold, squally and showery, especially on all western coasts and southern districts; barometer unsteady, rising in the South but falling temporarily in the North.