The lazy, crazy days of winter

Scott Peire, 6, from Howick gasps as a wave breaks around him in summery conditions at Mission Bay. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

A sunny weekend treated the country to a preview of summer, and a bonus is on the way.

An anticyclone parked over the country will bring a further three sunny days to most of the country, says MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt.

The weekend began with a keen southerly leaving a dusting of fresh snow on mountains in the southern North Island.

But the country quickly recovered and yesterday was warmer than usual at this time of year for Northland and Auckland on 17C.

Dunedin continued a run of extremely dry weather that is causing concern about tank and bore water supplies.

In parched North Otago, pine trees ignited like matchsticks as a fire ripped through about 60ha of Conservation Department-owned scrub and private forest, 10km north of Palmerston.

The blaze, which started late on Saturday, was finally tamed yesterday by about 50 firefighters and five helicopters with monsoon buckets.

On North Island farms, the warm weather has been a boon for the lambing season. Waikato Federated Farmers president Peter Buckley said dairy farms had no mud underfoot and grass was growing well, which augured well for early silage-making. "Our production is up 75 per cent on this time last season."

In Auckland, garden centres experienced a spring-like rush yesterday. Market gardens report faster growth, meaning lower prices for shoppers.