THE START OF THE GOLDEN WEATHER

 We are finally getting a summer or at least a taste of one. The best weather is yet to come and usually starts from mid February. Today however has been a cracker - lots of sun, no wind and, surprisingly, no rain.

I headed off early to play tennis and the conditions were ideal. I played for about 2 and a half hours - to 11AM when it started to get too hot.

We had both sets of French doors wide open and lots of windows today which is a luxury we haven't enjoyed for weeks due to the couple of cyclones that have battered the region. 

I'm told that La Nina is ending soon. This is the weather pattern that has dominated for the last couple of years:

Northeasterly winds tend to become more common during La Niña events, bringing moist, rainy conditions to northeastern areas of the North Island and reduced rainfall to the lower and western South Island.

In Autumn we should be seeing El Nino weather patterns:

During El Niño, New Zealand tends to experience stronger or more frequent winds from the west in summer, which can encourage dryness in eastern areas and more rain in the west. In winter, the winds tend to blow more from the south, causing colder temperatures across the country.

OK, that will cause drought problems for Eastern farmers but - it might mean that we won't be getting run-off from the mountain and farm up the back of our house and I can finally get the basement area dry.

It could mean good news for the struggling ski industry as well with colder winters bringing more snow.

El Nino might stick around for the next 3 years.

It will mean that Wainuiomartians and Moeraites will get wet feet and frozen arses* each winter but at least we'll be OK up here in the North-East eh.

* If their 'todgers' get frostbitten, the prat Prince Harry suggests rubbing your dead mother's face cream on it.