Rain keeps the crowds away

Rain did not stop Cindy Mehlhopt from Blenheim watching the Hong Kong v New Zealand senior women's game at the HB Festival of Hockey in Napier. Photo / Duncan Brown

Umbrellas were up, raincoats were zipped and the atmosphere was tense.

Rain prevented a large turnout of people from attending the Hawke's Bay Festival of Hockey's Affiliates Tournament match between the Hong Kong women's team and the New Zealand senior women's team.

However, the less than pleasant weather brought out the best in the New Zealand senior women's Team, as they put up a good fight and managed to prevent Hong Kong levelling the match with just minutes to go.

The weather may have decreased the number of people in attendance but it did not dampen the spirits of those who did turn up.

Cindy Mehlhopt, a spectator at the women's game, said the rain had not put her off from coming to the match and she was well prepared with her umbrella. "We are from Blenheim, so we have come here specially for a week of hockey, as my son David is playing in the New Zealand senior men's team," Mrs Mehlhopt said.

"It is good to see hockey being played at this level."

According to MetService, the rain is set to clear by Sunday, with a high of 22C.

Scattered showers were predicted for today and tomorrow.

More holiday rain predicted
The steady rain of the past few days may be good for the farmers, but it's been not so great for those looking after children during school holidays.

With some clearance at the weekend, MetService communications meteorologist John Law said temperatures were expected to fall and more wet weather was in store for the second week of the holidays.

The most rain appeared to have fallen on the Takapau Plains, while the 24 hours to 4pm yesterday had produced about 20mm in Hastings and 14mm in Napier, he said.

Federated Farmers Hawke's Bay provincial president and Takapau Plains farmer Will Foley recorded about 35mm yesterday in the first rain in the three weeks since Cyclone Pam.

"The plains and the hills had started to look brown," he said.

"We got about 35mm in Cyclone Pam, but you wouldn't have known where it's gone."

Winegrower Nicholas Buck said the rain wouldn't have any particular impact on his harvest, which was well advanced with mainly just syrah and the thicker-skinned cabernet sauvignon to be picked. Norsewood author and local weather watcher Lyn McConchie said she had recorded 48mm of rain since the beginning of the month. From Wednesday night till 4pm yesterday 41mm had fallen.

Motorists slip in the wet
The arrival of steady rain after a long dry spell across Hawke's Bay led to a steady stream of minor road crashes yesterday.

"Yes, we had a number of them and it's all down to people not re-adjusting their travelling distance between vehicles and their speed," Hawke's Bay road policing Senior Sergeant Greg Brown said.

With visibility also reduced, police were kept busy with calls to seven "nose-to-tail" crashes over a 24-hour period from 8am on Wednesday.

"We had three between 8am and 11am on Thursday," Mr Brown said.

"Too many people continue to drive the way they do in the dry and that won't end well if they have to stop in a hurry."

Yesterday, patrols were called to "weather-related" crashes throughout the morning in St Aubyn St, Queen St, St George's Rd and Austin St in Napier.

There were no reports of injury.

Mr Brown said he saw while travelling to work how drivers were not adjusting to the conditions, with a car too close behind.