Christchurch has seen just 15 per cent of its usual sunshine hours for February, the all-time dimmest first two weeks of the month in the city. Photo / 123RF
Christchurch has seen just 15 per cent of its usual sunshine hours for February, the all-time dimmest first two weeks of the month in the city.
MetService data shows just 28.6 hours has been recorded at the airport in the last 14 days, a stark contrast to the monthly average of 190.
Meteorologist Lewis Ferris said the first fortnight of February in Christchurch typically sees about 99 hours of sun. The previous all-time minimum was 31.9.
And at the same time the sun hid away, the rain came out.
Christchurch has smashed its rain record for a fortnight in February of 122.4mm; More than 139mm has fallen so far this month.
This summer the airport has ticked over 300mm for only the third time on record (since summer 1944/1945).
Most of the country was hit with a deluge of rain over the weekend, breaking weather records nationwide.
Christchurch Airport recorded 68.2mm of rain across Saturday and Sunday.
Masterton recorded 124mm of rain in just 24 hours at the aerodrome. It was the wettest day recorded at the station since it opened in 2009.
118.8mm was recorded at Taupo aerodrome in the same period, its wettest day since 1976.
127.2mm fell in Wellington's Kapiti, its second wettest day since 1927. It also broke the record for the wettest February day.
And it was not just in the North Island, Blenheim recorded 72.8mm of rain in 24 hours, its second wettest February day as well.
Eight fire trucks and two aerial appliances battled the Kumeu fire.