January in Kāpiti: Warmest place in Central NZ
Kāpiti-Horowhenua was the warmest place in central New Zealand, and was very dry and sunny, although a little cooler than normal as was most of the country.
Our daily average maximum temperature was 22.2C, one degree cooler than the longtime average and two degrees cooler than January 2024. Most unusually, temperatures in eastern regions such as Wairarapa, Marlborough and Nelson were lower than ours. It was as if east and west had been reversed. Persistent southerlies were likely responsible and affected these regions to a greater extent than in Kāpiti, but did cause our chilly mornings and resulted in five days that did not reach 20C. The highest temperatures of just under 29C were experienced over the last weekend.
Most of the month experienced drought conditions with virtually no rain. Only in the first and last weeks was there some rain with most of the around 55mm falling on the last few days. The historic average is 45mm.
Sunshine amounting to the equivalent of 20.5 sunny days was two above average and the same as January 2024, offering some compensation for December’s lowest in a decade.
February’s weather is usually very similar to January’s, but with signs of autumn becoming evident as the sun lowers in the sky.
Poll: Do you set New Year’s resolutions?
🎉 2026 is almost here!
We’re curious ... how do you welcome it?
Do you set resolutions, follow special traditions, or just go with the flow?
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10.5% Yes! New Year, New Me
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20.7% Yes - but I rarely stick to them
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68.8% Nah - not for me
Quote for the Day
Interviewer:
"Do you think that the British class system has finally ended?"
Upper-middle class Romance author, Dame Barbara Cartland:
"Well, of course it has; otherwise I would't be sitting here, talking to someone like you!"
Happy New Year [hopefully!]
Mike
Driven On The Akatarawa Rd Lately?
If so, its good to know you are still alive and reading this.
We have a function to go to over Christmas up that way and having heard a few hairy stories about the road, I went up there on Thursday to check it out. The road's ok, narrow and winding, but not much worse than a Wellington hill suburb. What was pretty scary was the behavior of other drivers. Three vehicles heading the other way at speed would have crashed into me if I hadn't been pulled off the road. I had pulled in to check the address when a truck came flying past, taking up all of the narrow road at speed. There is no way the driver would have been able to stop had they come around the corner immediately in front of me. The other two drivers came hurtling past as I had turned in to turn around and come back down the hill. They were also driving at speed and taking up most of the road. Coming back down I passed another car coming up and estimate that the safe speed to pass another car was about 30-35 kms.p.h. So, now we're thinking, do we go to the function or not.? Feels a bit like we're taking our life in our hands going up there. Drivers appear to be overconfident, and they are courting serious injury.
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