Editorial: Easterlies take spring out of step

It is little wonder, given the events of the past week, that one of the most popular subjects in conversation is the weather.

And, of course, the core ingredient of those conversations has been that thing we haven't seen for such a long time - rain.

The old hands, in terms of having lived long lives in Hawke's Bay, which has the reputation for being a clement spot given its protective screen of mountains to the west, would have noted the culprit for the recent monsoon.

The "stubborn easterly".

My father would often note the arrival of a stubborn easterly.

"It'll stick around for days," he would say.

And this was during a time when weather forecasts were effectively 70-30 jobs in terms of getting things pretty right ... the 30 being the percentage of time they did get it right.

I think it would be fair to say that few saw this last stubborn easterly coming.

The region had dried out.

The fire service folk were starting to see an increase in grass and tussock fires, which was a concern as it was not yet October and the usual "warm dry westerly" time.

Add to that the Niwa forecast of a strong likelihood of an El Nino and the farmers started fretting, to say the least.

Rain was required for spring growth, but there had been little on the horizon - until last weekend.

We don't do anything by halves here in the Bay.

When we defend the Ranfurly Shield we shed blood for it.

When we put on an event we make it shine.

So, when it came time to get some rain, up swept the easterly.

If ever one was going to discover a leak these easterly/southerly driven invaders would provide that opportunity.

If ever one was to discover they had a split in the sole of a shoe, this was it.

It sat, anchored to the east and the floods, slips and saturation replaced blue skies ... day after day.

On the third day I called the council.

"This is spring in Hawke's Bay - I'm not paying my rates for this."