Summer brings out smiles all round

Shanita Ellmers and youngster Emma McLaren of Hastings proved that January is the time for cool water and sunny frolics at Splash Planet yesterday. Photo / Paul Taylor

Water and things of an icy nature are top of the heat-beating bill in Hawke's Bay as sunshine and warmth continues.

And fruitgrowers and winemakers are smiling as temperatures hit the high 20s again yesterday.

The sunshine and warmth look set to remain for the rest of the week - although an oasis may arrive from the skies on Thursday.

The forecast that day is for rain and northeasteries before a return to sunshine and partly cloudy conditions and a temperature of 26C.

The seemingly endless sunshine - no rain has fallen in Napier this year with just 0.4mm in Hastings - may, however, take a break next weekend, the Metservice long-range forecast showing three days of showers with easterlies for the Bay.

Those predictions, however, are automatically generated by computer weather modelling systems, not the meteorologists.

For many it will be a case of, "We'll believe it when we see it."

"A bit of rain would be welcome but on the whole it's looking okay," Hawke's Bay Federated Farmers president Will Foley said.

"It's getting dry but it's that time of year and overall the Bay is looking pretty good."

He said the cooler spring had affected the size of lambs but the steady showers of early December had boosted growth so there were no feed issues.

"No one is panicking and no one is going to talk about drought."

For the time of year things were "close to normal", although some farmers nearer the coast and away from the ranges would appreciate some rain.

For fruitgrowers things couldn't be better.

"It is wonderful," Hawke's Bay Fruitgrowers' Association president Leslie Wilson said.

"Sunshine and heat is what we want and we have been getting it - it is good for fruit size, sugar levels and colour."

She said fruitgrowers all had adequate irrigation and she believed the overall crop size this season would be around average.

Winegrowers also expressed satisfaction with the way the summer was panning out as sunshine had arrived at exactly the right time.

"This is a crucial stage where we want the soil to dry out a little," Hawke's Bay Winegrowers' Association chairman Nicholas Buck said.

"The rain we got just before Christmas came at a good time and this run of weather since has been wonderful - everyone is pretty happy."

While few winegrowers were prepared to predict the third successive classic vintage, Mr Buck said at this stage things were "promising".

The heat has been a boon for those serving cold and tasty treats to beat the heat, or providing a watery retreat.

"It's been going very well," Gary Parker from Cool Cat in Ahuriri said.

"We've been selling up to 1000 ice creams a day because this run of brilliant weather has brought everyone out."

However, there was one minor drawback to the golden summer as two dairy owners spoken to said sales of hot pies had taken a slight hit.

Another downside to the heat was a recent increase in grass fires across the region although none had been major.

Senior Firefighter Mark Magill described conditions as "pretty dry" and said it was a return to the more traditional Hawke's Bay summer.

"We are asking people to use common sense and caution when they go out for a picnic somewhere - don't light a fire to cook a few sausages."

Numbers of visitors to Splash Planet, which will remain operating seven days a week until February 8 before a return to weekends only, had been strong.

"It has been a very good summer - we are getting close to 2000 people a day coming through," manager Peran Hutchings said.

"It's all about the forecast because people plan their trips and days out around them, so if the sun's out then we're having a good time here."