March 2024 was Cool and Dry
March in Kāpiti, like most of central New Zealand, was around a degree cooler than normal, and much drier.
Our daily average maximum temperature of 20.3C was 1.4C cooler than the 13-year average, and almost a degree cooler than March 2023. But, despite lower temperatures we still reached 20C on 21 days, so it could qualify as a summer month.
As usual for time of year, east coast Blenheim and Masterton, at 21.6C had the highest average maximums in central New Zealand, with Nelson, Levin and Lower Hutt virtually the same as Kāpiti. However, Kāpiti’s overall mean temperature of 16.0C was the highest in central New Zealand,
We enjoyed the equivalent of 19 sunny days, only one fewer than average.
Total rainfall of only just under 40mm was recorded at the airport making it the driest March in nine years, with most falling in one episode at the beginning of the month. The little rain received in the following three weeks did little to ease the drought-like conditions. March 2023 had almost three times this amount of rain.
In April we can look forward to temperatures averaging around 19.5C, with 17 sunny days.
Best way to use leftovers?
I'm sure you've got some excess ham at home or cold roast potatoes.
What are some of your favourite ways to use leftover food from Christmas day? Share below.
Out of towners
You come 4 a holiday & leave your dog pooh & rubbish on our beach. Maybe u do it in your hood but please don't do it here. There is a reason our beach is so beautiful & that is because we respect it & do the right thing. Hope u can too. Thanks
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️