Tararua weather indicates winter may be extremely wet

When torrential rain hit Dannevirke, businessman Hamish McIntyre had left his keys inside his locked office on Gordon St and couldn't get out of the rain. Photo / Christine McKay

After a wet June, July began no better with intermittent rain Sunday and torrential downpours on Monday.

Norsewood weather-watcher Lyn McConchie recorded 164mm (6.5 inches) of rain in June and for the first two days of July we had more than 3mm.

"It looks like we might have a pretty wet winter if this keeps up," she said.

Adding to the miserable weather have been several mornings of minus degrees, with two severe frosts last week, as well as a smattering of snow on the Ruahine Ranges and a more solid coating on the ranges behind Norsewood.

After steady rain overnight Sunday, Monday's rainfall came in short, sharp bursts, with water flooding down streets as culverts struggled to keep up.

And while architectural draughtsman Hamish McIntyre was prepared to cope with the bad weather, wearing his red bands gumboots, he was caught out when he discovered he'd locked himself out of his Gordon St offices.

The solution was a call to his wife to rescue him in the middle of a downpour.