We all remember the golden summers of yesteryear but do you think that this summer rates as one of the best?
Just to recap briefly…
We have seen glorious sunny conditions on a number of occasions, particularly during this month. The winds appear to not have been so strong at times, the days have had more warmth and the evenings have been lovely and drawn out.
Many people have flocked to beaches, rivers and lakes and air conditioners and fans have been at full throttle to try and keep the heat at bay. Mosquitoes and flies seemed to have been arriving in bigger numbers which have been a bit of a nuisance but this can often happen when dry and hot conditions prevail.
A few Kiwis and visiting Australians have commented about the heat and that it’s more like a typical Aussie summer across the Tasman. Sydneysiders have also experienced some extreme heat recently and some of that has drifted across and made an impact here.
Today it should cool off somewhat down south, as a southerly moves north over the mainland and then moves into the lower North Island, however this appears to be just a blip on the radar and the driest areas must fast be becoming a concern for farmers and the like.
How do you rate the summer so far and what other hot seasons can you remember that stick out in your mind?.1982-83 and that El Nino summer stands out to me as a stunner in some parts of the country but a very tough one for farmers in the drought regions at the time.
Feel free to post your comments below and let’s see what we can come up with!
Weather Analyst – Richard Green.
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Föehn on 27/01/2009 9:03am
1994 was a long dry summer which I’ll never forget. It was the year of the big Auckland drought and the level in the dams was getting critically low. The natural water table had got so low where I lived at that time, that huge cracks opened in my lawn and under my house causing the foundations to shift. All the wall paper in the front of the house puckered and ripped in the corners, and the brick fa√ßade began to fall away from the framing. It was a big job to fix it and insurance refused to pay out. Only by saving the washing water and tipping it into the huge cracks under the house was I able to save my house from further disaster.
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WW Forecast Team on 27/01/2009 8:12pm
Gee you’ll be please that those days are behind you and let’s hope we don’t see a repeat performance. It’s amazing how we can adapt when it’s a case of having too but it must have been a tough time!
Cheers
Richard Green
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SW on 26/01/2009 7:07pm
1982-83 was a depressing summer if you lived in the west,Showers and Wind almost every day till mid March.
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WW Forecast Team on 26/01/2009 10:58pm
The country could almost be divided into two back then and I know which coast I would rather have been on!
Regards
Richard
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Guest on 26/01/2009 6:31pm
I remember about 10 years ago that it was really hot over the summer and it was a bit like this one here in Canterbury. We had a few water restrictions and we could only hose the garden on odd number days.This summer though seems neverending although its cloudy and a bit cooler today thank goodness!
Sarah
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WW Forecast Team on 26/01/2009 6:35pm
That was a hot summer Sarah and another El Nino too.That one certainly made an impact and thanks for your thoughts
Regards
Richard
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R Wood on 1/02/2009 6:04am
Far back, unquestionably the hottest and most settled over the largest area was 1934/5 – so exceptional at least one research paper was written about it. 1998/9 was warm and sunny over a large area, not so great in the northern zones. 1994/5 started with a very dry December and produced plenty of beach weather along with some downpours in Marlborough and Nelson. 1985/6 was very warm in a lot of places but humid with some wet areas. 1977/8 was probably the best in the last 3 decades or so – dry settled weather lasting till about 10 April after a dry start from late 1977.
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