KEY POINTS:
The time has come for clocks to be wound back and surf life savers to pack away their flags at beaches.
Daylight savings and beach patrols end this weekend, drawing the hottest summer since 1998 to a close.
"Just as we change back into standard time this weekend,
people will be noticing it's getting not just darker, but also cooler," MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt said last night.
Mr McDavitt said rain was likely today and tomorrow in many areas, and anti-cyclones which had crossed the country for the past few months would become less frequent.
Most areas would have average rainfall this month, but drought-stricken Waikato stood only a 50 per cent chance of getting back to normal levels.
This was bad news for farmers, Mr McDavitt said, but the dry conditions would benefit apple, kiwifruit and wine growers, all of whom harvest their fruit at this time of year.
He said the summer had been a true "Indian summer", with anti-cyclones continuing beyond the official start of autumn on April 1.
Temperatures often topped 30C in January, February and March, and coupled with three extra weeks of daylight saving, this meant a busy time for surf life savers.
They end their patrols tomorrow at all beaches except Piha, on Auckland's west coast, where the flags remain in place until April 27.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand said the extension of daylight saving combined with a hot summer had increased the workload for its staff.
"It has definitely meant people recreating after work, going to the beaches and taking advantage of the good weather and the warm water," national life saving manager Brett Sullivan said.
Life savers made more than 1800 rescues since patrols began on Labour Weekend, and northern region life saving manager Dean Storey said his staff's workload was up 50 per cent.
"The main contributing factor to that is the weather," he said.
But although surf life savers were kept busy, drownings were down this summer.
Thirty-two people have drowned this year, down from 38 at the same time last year.
Six people drowned last month, a figure Water Safety New Zealand said was low considering the fine weather, and which showed New Zealanders were becoming more aware of water safety messages.
United Future leader Peter Dunne, who petitioned for the extension to daylight saving, said the first year had been a success.
"Seeing people out enjoying the summer evenings, swimming at the beach after work, kicking a ball around with their kids, is a great justification for our effort to convince the Government to change the regulation last year."
The clocks go forward again in late September but before that there is winter to endure.
The MetService said it was too early to give a season forecast, but lunar forecaster Ken Ring said it would come earlier than usual, about May 18 or 19, but would not be colder.
DAYLIGHT SAVING
* Ends tomorrow, when clocks go back one hour.
* Begins again on September 28, when clocks go forward one hour.
