2C Northcote Road

On Wednesday S was telling me about all the changes in the weather during the day, and Young L offered the comment that "It was just Auckland weather." We had to agree with him, although S did tell the boys that in our first year in Auckland she had been able to sunbathe every month of the year except July (which it is now) and August.

Today put the changeability of two days ago in perspective. I started the drive to work a few minutes after a cloudburst. The drive was in a degree of gloom I wouldn't have expected at that time of the morning. The clouds were threatening rain as I parked; and realised that I'd left my umbrella at the apartment.

Looking at the sky I vacillated about taking the ten minute walk to the meetings, and finally decided I'd go, as the sun was out. I was 90 seconds from the door, when the first spots of rain (huge drops, actually) hit me. I changed my mind and got back inside only slightly damp.

Over the next hour the sky dropped tanker loads of water on our roof; that rain was vertical. Plus blew as much rain horizontally past the unit. Then, the weather god mixed chunks of ice with the biggest drops of rain. In between, the sun weakly shone.

Similar continued for the rest of the morning. By afternoon, the smokers were braving the elements to go outside (the unit is non-smoking). Still it was not uncommon to see them come back inside looking rather bedraggled.

By the time I left to drive home, the sun was shining. Turned into Northcote Road and took three changes of traffic lights to travel 50m. During one of the stops, I used the camera.