Shift to spring in the wind

Thunderstorms are an indication of the changing seasons. File photo / Dean Purcell

Well if you didn't believe spring had arrived already, there's little doubt of it now as temperatures today climb over the 20 degree mark.

As of midday it was 22 degrees in Napier, 21 in Hastings and 20 in Gisborne. There were a string of other centres on 18 and 19 degrees from Timaru to Whangarei. Not bad for "winter" which for some ends on Monday and for others ends almost another month away.

Overseas and a sudden burst of heat a couple of weeks ago across America and Canada has now eased and my family in Canada say the hottest part of summer is definitely over there. So it seems the weather patterns have again shifted gear a little earlier than usual... except the hurricane season which started late (by the way, it looks like the next storm is on the way).

The pattern set up over New Zealand is a classic spring one.

Last night thunderstorms boomed over a number of regions waking people up with spectacular flashes and loud crashing thunder. It was short lived for most but dramatic nonetheless.

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I was glad last night's one was short lived... while I absolutely love thunderstorms I was almost asleep when my dog heard something (that I didn't). He started barking and I told him to "shuddup and go back to sleep".

He sat there quietly growling while I sat there trying to fall back to sleep... when suddenly a bright flash startled me.

"Here we go" I thought to myself... and sure enough 30 seconds later... big boom in the distance and the dog howling down the hallway (which always makes me laugh).

As the lightning got closer it didn't take him long to realise barking at this giant noise wasn't going to help, so he just sat at the end of my bed and we watched it pass over together in fascination. Fifteen minutes later it was gone and we both went back to sleep.

But it's not just thunderstorms that show the seasons are changing. The westerly wind is the most obvious sign.

In winter we get a lot of southerlies, in spring it shifts to westerlies. For a month now we have been sliding into more of a westerly flow but this past week - and week ahead - are the firmest proof yet.

Strong to gale westerlies, thunderstorms in the west, temperatures over 20 in the east, and not a frost to be found. Classically spring.

Typically the windiest weather is around the equinox at the end of Spring. I wonder if that has arrived a month early too? Or are we only just getting started?

- Philip Duncan

Pictured above: Thunderstorms are an indication of the changing seasons. File photo / Dean Purcell