Wanted: One weather observer to record the hours of sunshine in Wanganui.
While the city has been basking in late summer sunshine over the past few weeks, it's hard to know exactly how much sunshine Wanganui has had because sunshine hours are not recorded here.
Georgina Griffiths, climate scientist at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research [Niwa], said sunshine hours were the least often recorded of all weather statistics in New Zealand, because it had to be done manually.
"The old sunshine sensors look a bit like a crystal ball, with a card that has to be inserted in them every day. The sun burns through the card for each hour that it's shining. These cards are then sent back to Niwa."
The centres closest to Wanganui that do record sunshine hours are Stratford and Palmerston North. Ms Griffiths said that was probably because there was someone in those places who was willing and able to do the recording.