Hot days ahead on the beaches

KENT BLECHYNDEN/The Dominion Post

WHICH WAY'S THE WATER: Volunteer lifeguard Nick Mulcahy, left, and Matt Warren check out Oriental Pde beach on a scorching Friday.

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Summer is here, and it's going to be a scorcher.

Niwa scientists predict above-average temperatures and calm weather across the country between December and February, though rainfall is expected to remain normal.

Niwa scientist James Renwick said Wellingtonians could expect temperatures in the mid-20s to be the norm in the hotter months.

Neutral weather conditions - no blustery El Nino or tempestuous La Nina - are predicted, making for plenty of lazy, hazy summer days. Last year was the third-sunniest on record for Wellington, with 2231 sunshine hours recorded.

Dr Renwick said that though hotter temperatures did not guarantee more sun, calmer conditions were a good sign. "We don't like to officially predict sun hours, but we are expecting anticyclones to be more dominant in the east, so there could be more sun as a result."

More than 1000 volunteer lifesavers are ready to start patrolling Wellington shores today.

District manager for Surf Life Saving Matt Warren said a hot summer was all right by him. After 24 years in lifesaving, he still loves the job. "The beach has always appealed to me and once you get the bug, you can't stay away."

Lifeguards rescued 110 people between Wairarapa and Paekakariki last year, but Mr Warren said Wellingtonians were pretty clued-up about water safety. "People are generally really good - there's just a few people that bend the rules. The warmer weather brings more people, a lot of families, and that's great."

There are six surf life saving clubs in the region, which each need more than $100,000 a year to run.

They are partly funded by the Lotteries Commission and the Charity Gaming Association, but rely on community fundraising for the rest.

December 5 marks the second annual Jandal Day, a nationwide street appeal and sponsorship event. Last year it raised $260,000 for Surf Life Saving New Zealand.

- © Fairfax NZ News