New Zealand Summer; January 2014
January is summer in New Zealand, the equivalent of July in North America. Halfway through three weeks of exploring NZ my weather question was whether I would push on with the rest of the trip.
On Day Two, a 6.3 quake brought down the Hobbit Eagle that had loomed over the concourse the Wellington’s airport. On Day Four in blew Cyclone June, on a two-day buzz through New Zealand featuring 80 MPH winds that smacked the North Island.
It was Day Nine in New Zealand, the weather summary consisted of two days of cyclone winds blowing 74+ MPH, each of the other seven days the wind achieved gale force rank; a velocity easily appreciated when it’s in your face.
Napier, New Zealand: Day Nine
Napier is touted as New Zealand’s prettiest city. Located on the shore of Hawke’s Bay, Napier is also credited with being one of the sunniest and warmest climates in NZ. Vineyards thrive. Napier lies between the 39th and 40th degrees latitude south; a southern hemisphere counterpart to Baltimore or Kansas City.
“Sawadee,” said the waitress at Thai Chef, a Napier restaurant. Sawadee means Hello in Thai. Thai dominates ethnic food choices in New Zealand. The Thai Chef had been recommended by a local woman who refused to suggest a second choice – despite the Thai Chef being locate two kilometers from downtown Napier.
“It’s cold,” I replied. Napier was overcast, it reminded me of Michigan in winter. I had run from the car to the entrance of Thai Chef.
“Isn’t it a nice change to have the cool weather,” the waitress said.
How Far Down the Block? Masterton, NZ: Day Ten
Highway 2 is New Zealand’s Wine Trail. Highway 2 heads out of Napier, reputed to be NZ sunniest town, and leads into Wellington, 250 miles south. Along the way villages featuring wine and food beckon. In the wine village of Masterton along Highway 2 the overnight temp dips to 2 degrees Centigrade; that’s 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
Only the sheep were dressed for the weather.
Why you might be nearby? Picton, New Zealand; Day Twelve
On January 30, the temperature topped out at 68 degrees in Picton. The day had been cloudy. Just after 6 pm a 60 MPH blow swept through the village, cleaning the streets. I sat at a picnic table in the courtyard of the Escape to Picton Hotel for the twenty minute assault; pretending it was summer. After the wind settled, a New Zealand beer seemed appropriate. The brew pub was only a three-minute walk.
“I’ll have the pale ale,” I said to the barman. He wore a shabby short-sleeve shirt. I wore a short-sleeve shirt, a long-sleeve shirt and a sweater. The barman was barefoot, I was not.
“Nice day,” the barman said. He pulled the tap, the pale ale refused to pour.
To make the barman’s day easier I said, “I’ll take one of the other brews if that tap is a problem.”
The barman said, “No, no, the hot weather today has our tap system misbehaving.”
Lesser Known Facts Weather terminology in New Zealand
Sam Wallace, the breakfast weatherman for TV One in NZ, delivers their morning forecast. Sam’s style suggests he studied under Biff America, a local TV character in Summit County, Colorado twenty years ago.
Sam’s weather vocabulary differs from US terms. Brilliant means sunny. Fine translates as partly/mostly cloudy. Chilly warns of really cold weather. Kiwis use the word chilly in chilly bin – a picnic cooler. What Americans call an ice box.
When Sam says, “Today we’ll experience explosive cyclogenesis,” he is advising that a cyclone with extremely colds winds will hit.
There is no such thing as a prevailing wind in NZ. The wind blows from all directions.
Local Recommendation Locate an Irish Pub so you can fortify with a shot of Irish Whiskey before bedtime.
A Kiwi in his 80’s tries to explain NZ weather to a small group of visiting complainers huddled inside Churchill’s bar, found inside the County Hotel, Napier; a rare real bar.
The experienced NZ man, a fruit grower of many years, ties the vagrancy of his weather to cricket, New Zealand’s impact on WW II, and the Marx Brothers. None of those present, not even Grant the Canadian bartender, can interpret his musings. But, we were inside, it was warm and the beer taps were functioning.
Something for Nothing NZ provides universal health care. It is intended for Kiwis only, unless the foreign traveler is injured in NZ due to an accident – slipping on the ice for instance.