Rainy Summer Spoils NZ Holidays
Many Kiwis are frustrated over the weather, as their summer holiday plans were not made with rain showers in mind.
New Zealand is experiencing a rainy summer, and it is turning out to be one of the wettest summers the country has seen in recent years. In fact, more heavy rains are forecast to hit parts of the North Island this weekend.
The MetService says many parts of the North Island are in for rain for the next 10 days.
The wet season has been sending many holidaymakers back home earlier than planned.
It is not a simple case of postponing plans for a few days due to the rain. Drizzles, showers and heavy rain would continue to fall in many parts of New Zealand, particularly in the North Island, the New Zealand Herald reported.
WeatherWatch head analyst Philip Duncan said there was not much to look forward to this month.
"I don't see it getting very settled until about January 16 and 17 - but even then it's not going to be perfect," Duncan said.
"We haven't seen any of those blue-sky summer days where the grass is dry, and it doesn't look like it's going to change any time soon," Duncan added.
The Herald spoke to Geoff Hawthorn, owner of the Dickson Holiday Park in Thames, who said some campers had left early, while others had postponed their bookings. He remarked this summer has not been great for business.
However, optimism should not be forgotten despite the strange weather.
University of Waikato professor of psychology Michael O'Driscoll told the Herald the Kiwis could spark positive vibes by making plans for the next summer.
"It's probably a good idea for people to say, 'Okay, this one didn't quite work out but let's think ahead and plan something else for the next time," he said.