Wet, warm and windy, now winter - 12 June 2016

12 June 2016

A week of persistent north to northwest winds brought heavy rain to western parts of the country, and extremely warm temperatures for this time of year, especially to eastern areas. However, winter returns as cooler southerlies sweep up the country today.

It has been a wet week on the West Coast of the South Island, with 300 to 400mm of rain falling in the ranges of Westland, while 120mm was measured at Hokitika. Over the lower North Island, the Tararua Range was soaked by around 200mm of rain this week. Meanwhile, gale northwesterlies blasted through the Capital on Friday, with a gust of 130km/h recorded at Mount Kaukau. “Strong northwesterlies were responsible for some extremely warm June temperatures on Friday”, commented MetService Meteorologist Peter Little. “Napier topped the list with 25.1C, and Kaikoura was close behind on 25.0C. Gisborne also reached a balmy 23.2C, while both Auckland and Christchurch recorded very warm June days with 19.9C and 20.6C respectively”, added Mr Little.

A cold front sweeps up the country today, followed by a strong southerly change. Mr Little went on to say, “This front brings a period of rain to most places and causes temperatures to plummet, with snow lowering to 400 metres in North Canterbury and Marlborough for a time. Snow could affect a number of higher roads across the South Island today, and also the Desert Road early Mondaymorning. This isn’t all bad news though, with ski-fields likely to receive a few centimetres of fresh snow.”

Southerlies ease as a ridge of high pressure builds over New Zealand on Monday, with frosts likely across much of the South Island and inland North Island. “It will be a frosty start to the new week, with severe frosts likely for inland parts of the South Island”, said Mr Little. Looking further ahead, the weather remains changeable with another front expected to affect the country mid-week.

ENDS

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