Discussion: Weather Reports, July 6th, 2008

[TokWW]

A high of 9.3 and its on the downhill slide again. A good lot of wind has come up since 9am, quite distinct changes from S to NW to SW, where it is now. Since 11am the 1min ave windspeed has been a steady 20km/hr with gusts to 46.7km/hr max. Quite refreshing out there at 7.8ºC and falling 1.3/hr. Still sunny with just a few clouds.

Generally clear skies and frosty mornings till Thursday predicted by Wxsim.

[ATO2]

4pm: SSE at 9km/hr. Clear skies but feels cold as the Sun drops. 10 degrees atm

[rainfan]

Brilliant day today - sunny & crisp with light winds with streaks of high cloud at times , about an hour ago cloud started to increase & thicken but that's ok as it's nearly night now. Min of 8oC and max of 18 degrees. Going to be another cold night as there is a distant chill in the air.

[ATO2]

Got to 14 here under nice clear skies but it is down to 4 degrees atm(8pm). I have a large bunch of bananas nearly ready to take off and ripen inside and maybe I should have cut them off today!

[rainfan]

You grow bananas in NP ATO2? Didn't think that was possible.

[ATO2]

Originally Posted by rainfan

You grow bananas in NP ATO2? Didn't think that was possible.

I will post a couple of pix tomorrow. Yeh, Ladies fingers and a few other varieties grow well, though the fruiting is not too predictable.
Given shelter from the wind, many subtropical things grow here- the rich volcanic soil, solid sunshine shours,small seasonal and diurnal range, good rains and lack of frost help. Our daily maximums are a little low, though, even in Summer, so that kind of balances it- in the Far North it is easier because of the higher maximums, I guess, but their minimums are not much different.

[ATO2]

Having said all that- it's only 1 degree atm out at the airport and 4 outside my place.
Our wind had better spring up before dawn or I will be posting pix of blackened leaves!

[rainfan]

Interesting ATO2. What's the summer average temp for NP? Does it get humid like Auckland?

NZ never ceases to surprise me when it comes to "tropical" horticulture. Once I was gobsmacked to see a Canary Island Palm tree in Roxburgh near Alexandra in the SI as I didn't think they grew that far south.

[ATO2]

Average Summer temps are around 13 or 14 minimum, 21-22 degrees maximum. It is pretty even, humidity is generally high but the air is "cleaner and clearer" than Aucklands's, plus we get more Sun of course - we are a windy place and that does make a difference.
Summer, I reckon, includes March which is warmer than December, I am sure. Drier, anyway!
Plus our population is only a little over 70,000, mostly alongside the sea, so no real heat island build up stuff.

[RWood]

The 30-year mean quoted for NP (1971-2000), not sure what site it is based on, has March 0.8C warmer than December.