Editorial: Big interest in big weather

Snow on the Napier-Taupo Rd is a welcome sight, writes Mark Story. Photo/Duncan Brown

This country's wild about weather.

It doesn't even have to be wild weather.

Wild or mild will do it.

You needn't think too long nor look too far to see ample evidence of our national infatuation.

The original name for this place, Aotearoa, is a tip of the hatto the country's signature cloud formation.

Maybe that's because before that, the seafarers who discovered God's Own could do so only with the good grace of wind, sun, surf, swells and stars.

But it's not just a legacy thing.

Our TV news weather is given a generous 10-minute wedge of the nightly news pie. To boot, its presenters are afforded cult-celebrity status.

I watch the weather every night even though I have no idea what said presenters are saying or pointing at.

Isobars (cold pubs?) tropical (with pineapple?) ex-tropical (without pineapple?) - and what on earth is the bandied-about but arcane El Nino?

Then, when actual weather hits, weather jumps from last on the box to first on the box.

A half-hour gander at yesterday's Breakfast programme showed it awash with news - about the weather.

Even though we've had some seriously notable weather this week, it's still been of the largely benevolent type. Inconvenience stuff, nothing life threatening. But this doesn't matter - we still can't consume enough.

I say long may it continue.

Paradoxically there's something settling about unsettled weather; especially the big travelling shows.

There are few things more humbling than a cleansing tempest working its way up or down the country like a Mexican (El Nino?) wave.