Yo! Aussie & Kiwi Ladies-how is "winter"

[Laterider21958]

Icy, gusty winds with episodes of heavy rain on the way to work. Lots of icy wind during the day and then a heavy downpour as I got home from work. Must say, I was glad I drove the car! (I guess I'm not a dedicated cyclist yet.)

[beetle]

Well for a soft Sydneysider I think it is definitely winter - well at 0600 on sat mornings it feels like it.

CC - I ordered some GE witches britches the other day too. Am a big fan, I got to try them on a couple of not too early rides in Canberra on the weekend. To be honest I won't bother with full tights after using them, they will be quite enough for an aussie winter. I am going to have to sort out my feet though, even in a very daggy pair of toasty hiking socks my toes were v numb after 90mins.

Notummymummy - love your avatar! is that your bub?

On the snow topic, my husband comes from Hobart and yes one Christmas when visiting his parents there was snow on top of Mt Wellington.

[RoadRaven]

So, icey gusty sleet and snow in Invercargill today
Torrential downpours in the last week or so north and west of me here in the North Island.

But here in Hawkes Bay we are entering our 10th month of low/no rainfall.
We had 7mm in May, and non so far this month.
The ground is dry and brown and my son complains it is hard to hunt rabbits because of the crunching underfoot (dry grass) as he walks.

There is virtually no food left for our animals, there have been gale force westerlies for nearly a week.

This looks like the summer parching of February, or the Spring equinoxal winds ... not like the approach of mid-winter and solstice

[crazycanuck]

RR-I do hope you recieve some rain the next month or so.
I saw the news story on the NZ Herald site about the severe weather warning and didn't see any mention of rain
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/...ectid=10444151

I think most of the farmers in Australia understand how you feel about very little rain.

Here's hoping for rain in Hawke's bay!

C

[crazycanuck]

Hey NSW ladies,

Have you been affected by the horrible weather near Newcastle? Wow!

My thoughts are with the loved ones of the missing

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21875727-2,00.html

Bad week for accidents & weather in NSW & Vic

First the Kerang rail tragedy & now weather related tragedy.
(http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599...rom=public_rss)

My thoughts are with the families who lost loved ones in the accident.
C

[RoadRaven]

Wow, some nasty sad stuff across the Ditch
If anyone is connected to this, my thoughts to you from EnZed
Thanks for posting the links CC. (Today news links are loading for me!)

Strong to gale force westerly gusts continue on my part of this island... its race day today... an out and back 39km course and we will have a cross wind all the way, there and back, I think.

I woke up this morning at 5:30 as the side of the house got thumped again. Not sure how my children sleep through it!

Its 7am now and already 15'... doesn't seem like mid-winter at all.

[beetle]

CC - I think it's awful about the missing people up north. To be honest I didn't actually think the weather was that bad but I think the north has been much more effected than Sydney. We were actually heading up to Newcastle for the weekend but decided not to go due to the weather and as there are warnings suggesting not to travel unless essential. I was actually going to do a duathlon nr Nobbys Beach (right next to were the ship is grounded) - but it was cancelled yesterday due to contamination risk from the ship and the need for police access on the road. It's disappionting not to do the race but I think it was probably a good safety call from the news footage I have seen.