Heat-fleeing Cantabs ‘evacuate’ to beaches
Beaches around Christchurch have been packed as the city basks in sweltering temperatures during the first weekend of summer.
A high of 30 degrees Celsius on Saturday was followed by a maximum of 28C yesterday, with hot weather predicted to continue for much of the week.
MetService was predicting highs of 29 and 31C for today and tomorrow respectively. The dry spell also looks set to continue, with rain not predicted until December 12.
Last month was thought to be the driest November in the city since records began in 1864, with just 1.4 millimetres of rain recorded at Christchurch Airport.
It followed one of the wettest winters on record. However, the forecast for summer looked to be hot and potentially dry.
The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research gave the Canterbury and coastal Otago areas a 70 per cent chance of warmer than average temperatures over summer.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand southern regional manager Stu Bryce said people had flocked to Christchurch beaches at the weekend.
‘‘Christchurch evacuates to the beach on a beautiful day, and the weather has been stunning, so that’s what happened,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s awesome the community is going to the beach, but people need to remember to swim between the flags.’’
Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman Mau Barbara said there had been no weather-related callouts over the weekend in Canterbury.
The increased risk of fire over summer meant people needed to be careful when doing things like lighting barbecues and disposing of cigarette butts, he said.
‘‘The seasons change and the risk obviously changes, too. In winter we’re more prone to house fires, while in summer there’s definitely more vegetation fires.’’