Weather watch: Humidity levels put the heat on forecasters

Most of the country has been sweltering. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Niwa has announced that the busy cyclone season is far from over, predicting another six named storms are likely by April.

Remarkably New Zealand, after years of having no cyclones, has this year had four named systems in just four weeks.

Three were ex-tropical cyclones when they reached New Zealand - Vania, Zelia and Zaka - and one, Wilma, was still a category-two tropical cyclone.

Apart from the fact they all ended with the letter "a", they were quite different systems and all had different effects on us.

But they did bring humidity and, with the record-breaking heat in the South Island last Sunday, there is no doubt that this summer is producing more contrasting extremes than recent ones.

Timaru Gardens last Sunday reached 41.3C, which was the second highest urban temperature recorded in New Zealand.

The humidity has been tough for many. WeatherWatch ran a poll this week and found 75 per cent of readers "hate" the humidity while 25 per cent "love" it.

"Do not mind the humidity if not too high but hate the 'lack of energy' that it causes," said one reader, Derek.

"On the other hand my wife loves it, gives her a big boost. She lived in Hong Kong for 25 years and got accustomed to it."

Tracey wrote: "Being pregnant in this humidity is not at all comfortable." Another reader said they loved the humidity as it "plumps up the wrinkles".

There has been some controversy, as always, with the "feels like" temperatures that we publish.

Some argue they're not accurate and others say they provide a more realistic reading of the weather.

A 40C day in Canterbury is certainly a hot one but the air is drier, which can lessen the impact of that heat.

In Auckland the air doesn't get to 40C but with humidity around 80 and 90 per cent the humidex (or "feels like") reading can be closer to the mid-to-late 30s.

It comes down to your personal perception, but a 25C temperature with high humidity simply doesn't reflect how hot it feels.

A 33C humidex reading (for that same temperature plus humidity) is far more realistic.