It adds a northerly component to our prevailing westerlies: i.e. more nor'westers, bringing drought to the east and floods to the west.
Irrigation has lessened the damage caused by hot nor'westers and times of drought.
We've had rain but one good nor'wester and we're back where we were.
The original building was erected in 1880, but the builders did not allow for the strength of the nor'west wind and in May 1884 it was completely destroyed by a gale force nor'wester.
There was a strong nor'wester blowing across the Canterbury Plains so we thought a walk on the sheltered side of the Port Hills would be a good choice.
If you were to ask me, I'd probably label it a nor'wester, and if pressed, suggest that there might be a southerly on the way.
It took six to eight hours for the nor'wester to blow away the sea breeze.
The second was written for a book on Canterbury's natural history and dealt with the aspects of weather which have been a subject of Neil's research - climate, weather, climate change, the effects of nor'westers and of winter.
The forest itself can be surprisingly sheltered from the nor'westers that rage over the summit of Mount Hutt during spring.
Many of the streets were not sealed and with lots of horses and carts there was a lot of horse manure on them, and when a nor'wester blew it was most unpleasant with the dust and the manure smell.
Mainly by courtesy of the birds, but also by courtesy of the nor'wester, various other woody species have come in.
Of course it's what one's used to, I know, and there are plenty of people not willing to put up with the dry skin that the climate brings, not to mention the thundering nor'westers that are likewise a feature of Cannerbury.
So when people asked me to research the impact of the nor'westers or the long cloudy periods of winter I went back to Hippocrates.