Better than the summer by far, really beautiful here in Whangarei, cooler nights make sleeping easier and the nice fresh early morning is great to do a bit of work. This can go on for many more weeks for me.

Auckland may be basking in it, but the southern parts of the North Island are not all roses. Some very cold nights after the southerly, with overcast days this week. The mountain drainage inversions started up and gave us a 1.5C overnight low. Brrr it was cold. Even Paraparaumu got down to 3C. Every single mountain was draining, the whole range. A warning of winter I’d say. Been a few cold nights with the fronts. Just wish we could get rid of these tiresome anticyclones, as stable air after a cold southerly just prolongs the cold. Rain is badly needed. Been overcast a lot ths week with the fronts, and trying hard to rain. Already had one SE which tried to cause trouble. Awaiting the first of the big polar SE’s and their associated storms. Vegetation is mostly evergreen here but what deciduous trees there are, are partially wind burnt and browning off.  LOL no nice gold here.