My theory gets the wind up after Auckland

From the ridge

in events like this, but this has been a dramatic and souldestroying event for thousands of people.

Let us not forget about the rural dwellers around Auckland also going through great difficulties and heartache, as well farmers still dealing with other recent weather bombs.

This will have an impact not only on Auckland but on the whole country. With the injection of insurance claim money and the spend on fixing and replacing, it may even delay the drop in inflation, for example.

A staggering 250mm fell on the city on that Friday night; 80mm of this fell in a single hour.

POOR old Auckland.

Certainly the first time a rural columnist or perhaps even a nonAucklander has ever written that phrase.

However, when it comes down to it, we are all Kiwis and what folk up there are going through you wouldn’t wish on anyone.

We are more accustomed to feeling sympathy and empathy for fellow provincial dwellers

Even in rural New Zealand, this intensity is going to create havoc but when it’s falling upon mostly roofs and concrete, it will lead to instant flooding, as it did.

The deluge in a single day smashed Auckland’s daily rainfall record.

An atmospheric river fell upon that city.

Four deaths are tough for those families, but I’m surprised it wasn’t a lot more. It probably wasn’t far away from being much worse.

At the time of writing a followup weather event has blown through the city with further damage. It could have been worse but as we know, once the land is sodden and opened up, it doesn’t take much to create further destruction.

I’d be surprised, although pleased, if we saw summer finally arrive and the North Island had a respite and dried out.

I think there are likely more of these events for this summer and autumn but let’s hope I’m wrong.

Why do I think this?

This will be familiar as I considered these contributors only a few weeks ago in a column.

Let’s begin with the persistent and ongoing La Niña. This one has hung around for nearly three years, but is expected to wane

Makes

IT ALL by autumn. However, it is still in play and its signature is to bring warmer and wetter conditions to northern and eastern NZ.

SENSE NOW: Because it’s warmer, there’s more water in the air. This has made Antarctica colder than usual and affected the polar vortex – and the wind, says Steve Wyn-Harris.

Next we are a few relatively small islands surrounded by a large ocean. That ocean has been experiencing a marine heatwave, meaning sea surface temperatures are warmer than average.