Lacklustre weather to turn
A lacklustre start to summer has left swimming pools deserted and farmers upbeat.
A chilly and wet start to 2017 should soon turn around though, according to forecasters.
Metservice forecasters say a southwest flow over the country this week has brought an especially cold start to the year.
Pattern changes next week should turn that around with a drier than normal month expected in the north and east of the North Island.
Fellow weather experts Niwa tip central North Island, Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu and Wellington to have an average summer.
Temperatures are expected to be about normal. Niwa is hedging its bets otherwise, giving a 30 per cent chance of it being warmer than normal and a 30 per cent chance of it being colder than normal.
Lido Aquatic Centre manager Lynden Noakes has noticed a drop in patrons as the weather faded.
‘‘Definitely, we have noticed it. Numbers are down quite a bit because of the weather.’’
Noakes said they might have up to 1000 people outside on a good day, but would have been lucky to get 100 in recent days.
‘‘It has not been a good summer so far.’’
Last January, the pool brought in more than 40,000 people, but so far they were tracking towards just over 30,000. ‘‘It is quite a difference.’’ Noakes said they were normally buzzing with people trying to beat the heat, but that had not been the case this time.
‘‘At the moment, you don’t need to cool off.’’
One group not disappointed to see cooler weather are farmers.
Federated Farmers Manawaturangitikei president James Stewart said a bit of rain helped grass grow. ‘‘That keeps us happy. ‘‘We’ve had quite a few dry summers over the past few years.
‘‘Last year, we were having some really hot days. Put some wind with that and it dries everything out and puts the stress on.’’
Stewart said farmers were like everyone else though and liked to have a bit of sun.
‘‘If we could get a bit of rain at night and sun during the day that would keep everyone happy.’’
Niwa expects the central North Island won’t be any wetter than normal.
It predicts a 40 per cent chance of normal rainfall, but also a 40 per cent chance of summer being drier than normal.
The top of the North Island should get the best weather, with Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty temperatures likely to be near average or above, with a 40 per cent likelihood of both.
Rainfall could be lower than usual, with a 45 per cent chance of this happening, although Niwa gives a 40 per cent chance of rainfall being at normal levels for these areas.