PICTON BRACES FOR 'AUCKLAND WEATHER' AFTER ONE HUMID AFTERNOON
The mercury hit 22 with a bit of stick in the air. Marlborough has declared this unacceptable.
A faint whiff of humidity drifted across Picton on Tuesday, prompting at least three Wellington Street residents to describe conditions as "basically Auckland" and one to close every window in the house at 2pm.
The nor'wester, which arrived without a permit, brought temperatures of 22 degrees and what locals described as "that sticky bugger of an air". A woman watering her hydrangeas on High Street said she'd had to go inside and sit down. "You can feel it on your neck. That's not Marlborough air. That's imported."
Vineyard worker Dee Karaitiana, 34, said the conditions had thrown the afternoon out completely. "Normally you get your dry heat, your sav, your breeze off the sound. Today I had to take my flannie off at smoko. Unheard of."
A Marlborough District Council spokesperson confirmed no civil defence response was warranted but acknowledged the discomfort was "valid". "We're a dry-heat region. When it goes humid, people take it personally. That's their right."
By 4pm a southerly had pushed through and everyone put their jumpers back on, muttering about the climate. One Waikawa Road resident was seen reopening every window she'd shut, telling a neighbour the house "smelled like Hamilton".
The nor'wester is forecast to return Thursday. Three locals have already announced they'll be staying inside.
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Reader Letters
chilly_bin_lid
Calm down, Picton.
oldjimmy64
Back in the '70s, we wore thick wool jumpers no matter the weather. Kids these days just can't handle a bit of humidity.
trev_hornby
This is exactly what happens when the council spends all their time on unnecessary roadworks instead of controlling the weather.
sandra_greenthumb
Mate, weather's not something the council can control. It's climate change that's the real issue.
traveling_kiwi
I was in Picton last year and it was breezy and beautiful, not a drop of humidity. It's a lovely spot. People should just relax and enjoy it.
northern_geoff
Honestly, residents should be grateful it's just a bit humid. Try living in the North Island where it feels like you're swimming through the air.
waikato_wanderer
Hamilton doesn't smell that bad! People need to stop exaggerating.
beauty_guru_glen
You've got it all wrong, humidity's great for the skin. Keeps us young looking.
nelson_ian
Bracing for 22 degrees? Come to Nelson, we have real summers here.
local_linda
As a local, it's not the humidity, it's the shock of something so unexpected. We're used to our climate being predictable.