THE WEATHER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2064, 31 March 1909, Page 5

THE WEATHER.

'DAMAGE AT LYTTELTON HARBOR [Per Press Association.] LYTTELTON, Mar. 30. Lyttelton experienced very severe weather this morning. Very heavy rain fell fop some hours. A tremendous sea washed part of the eastern breakwater. The, barquentine Volador broke from her moorings; slid swung against a coal hulk, and had her bulwark and stern smashed. The ferry steamer Maori arrived at noon, five hours late. She_ encountered tremendous seas, but sustained no damage. ' ; .. ■ HEAVY RAIN IN THE SOUTH. CARTERTON, March 30. Heavy, cold rain fell here yesterday and last night. The surrounding districts show the effect of the deluge, Dalefield especially suffering from fioe.ded creeks. The water in now over the road 2ft in places. All rivers are fairly high. - BLENHEIM, March 30. Heavy rain, accompanied by a bitter cold wind, fell yesterday and this morning. When the clouds lifted a liberal coating of snow was observed on the ranges to the westward of Blenheim. CHRISTCHURCH, March 30. Phenomenally heavy rain fell all night. The city and streets were almost all under water. All traffic was more or less impeded. Tile rain was the heaviest that lias fallen for twenty years, being 3 l-sin in 24 hours. Many business places in the low-lying parts were flooded, and 'many streets were impassable, especially where, the roadway was opened up recently for laying pipes in connection with the water supply. The street channels were not equal to the exceptional fall. At 11.15 the sky had broken somewhat, and the rain had fallen away to a drizzle, but the indications are still threatening. ASHBURTON, March 30. Exceptionally heavy rain commenced to fall yesternight, and continued without cessation to-day, accompanied by a cold south-west wind, thus subjecting the grain stacks to severe test. While the moisture is needed to soften the giound for ploughing, the fall has been too heavy, and besides greatly delaying grain threshing and carting will induce a very rank growth of grass. Snow to a' depth of two inches fell on the lower ranges and the immediately surrounding country up to 8 o’clock this morning. Since Saturday and lip to 3 o’clock to-day 3.46 inches of rain have fallen, two inches of this being since 6 o’clock last night. TIMARU, March 30. After a warm dry spell for some weeks past there was an abrupt change in the weather on Sunday, when tlie temperature fell as low as 44 degrees. A quarter of an inch of ram fell that nio-ht, and at 9 last evening steady ram 6 et in, and is still falling very heavily. During the twelve hours ending 9 o’clock nearly two inches fell. DUNEDIN, March 30. Rain commenced to fall here early this morning, and continued almost without intermission all day and eveninol, being verv heavy in the afternoon. At! present (11 p.m.) there is little sign of the weather clearing. No material damage has been done so far.