Nearly a month’s rain in a fortnight

Blenheim has had almost a month’s worth of rainfall in two weeks, and is also on track for one of its warmest Junes.

The town was spared any major damage from the storm at the weekend that brought power cuts and tornados to the lower North Island and closed most of the South Island’s alpine passes.

However, Blenheim has had plenty of rain, as forecast. Plant and Food Marlborough scientist Rob Agnew said Blenheim had rain on 10 of the first 13 days of June. The average number of rainy days for June was 7.6.

Blenheim’s total rainfall over that time was 60.6 millimetres, which was 92% of the long-term average for the whole month of June, 65.6mm.

The rainiest day of the month so far was Wednesday, June 8, which had 19mm, Agnew said, looking at data from the meteorological station in Grovetown.

However, it was still some distance off Blenheim’s wettest Junes since records began in 1930. In June 2010 there was 154.8mm in total, and in June 2013, 114.6mm, Agnew said.

Blenheim also had above average rainfall for eight of the last 12 years, including 2021 with 75.6mm and 2020 with 77.6mm.

It was also a very warm fortnight. The average mean temperature was 10.8C, which was 2C above the long-term average for June.

‘‘So far to date, June 2022 is tracking close to the warmest June temperatures on record (1932-2021).

Warmest on record is June 2003, at 10.9C,’’ Agnew said.

There had been moderate sunshine at 54 hours, which was 83% of the long-term average, Agnew said. ‘‘Not bad, considering all the rainfall and overcast weather so far in June.

‘‘June 9 to 13 all recorded well above average wind run. It is quite unusual to get a number of windy days in a row, as Blenheim has been recording below average wind run over recent years.’’

Many sports grounds were closed on Monday and yesterday following the rain. However, there was no major damage nor road closures due to the weather, unlike in other parts of the country.

Metservice meteorologist Tui Mcinnes said the ‘‘almostcontinuous barrage of lows and fronts’’ was due to a combination of an atmosphere prone to low pressure, southwesterly polar blasts, and warmer-than-normal waters.

That brought heavy rain, large hail stones, strong gusts, a few tornados, and more than 114,000 lightning strikes in the last week.

Snow had been falling for about six days straight at Rainbow Ski Area, 100km west of Blenheim.

About 1.5 metres of snow had settled at the base and on the main trails, despite the stormy weather bringing strong winds.

Manager Tom Harry said yesterday he and his team were stuck at the base, though the snow was forecast to ease in the afternoon.

‘‘The road is completely impassable . . . we’re totally in the thick of it,’’ Harry said. ‘‘But it’s absolutely awesome timing for us.’’

The ski field was scheduled to open on July 9.

‘‘It’s pretty cool, it’s been a special thing to live through, we don’t get events like this very regularly.’’

Next weekend the inaugural Rainbow Snow Ball, a retrothemed event, would be held at the Playhouse Cafe and Theatre Restaurant in Mapua, with an auction to raise funds for a new groomer to keep the trails well maintained.