MetService News Release

Monday 4 September 2017

Spring heralds the warming up of the atmosphere as the amount of daylight increases. But the atmosphere must still cope with cold ocean temperatures taking a long time to warm up. The temperature contrasts between large areas of atmosphere and ocean are the reason for Spring's unsettled weather.

MetService meteorologist Andy Best commented, “The week ahead is a prime example of this season’s changeable weather, with strong, blustery west to northwest winds forecast for New Zealand from Tuesday onwards. These winds will drag several rain bands across Aotearoa during the week."

A series of fronts move onto the west of the South Island tonight and during Tuesday, bringing gale northwesterlies accompanied by heavy, possibly thundery falls. Rainfall amounts are likely to reach warning criteria on the West Coast, and the first Severe Weather Watches have already been issued. Eastern areas stay mostly fine throughout the working week, apart from a few spots of rain. The rain persists in the west through to at least Friday with intermittent breaks in between the passage of the troughs.

For the North island, outbreaks of heavy rain (mainly about the ranges) are also forecast to affect the Kapiti, Horowhenua and Wairarapa districts from Wednesday though to Thursday, as well as central western areas. Rainfall warnings are possible for these areas later this week. The remainder of the North Island sees rain developing in the west from Tuesday onwards with brief rain in the east on Wednesday, and becoming increasingly fine in the east through to Friday.

Best added, "Blustery northwest gales are going to be another feature of the week ahead. These gales are especially likely over the and east of the Southern Alps, and about the Southern Lakes during Tuesday and Wednesday. The gales also develop over the Wairarapa and Wellington regions during Tuesday, and may reach severe gale at times from Wednesday to Friday."

Finally it’s going to be warm mid-week for eastern locations. Gisborne is expected to reach 20C on Wednesday, with Napier forecast to tip 21C. Over the South Island, the week starts on the cooler side, but expect midweek highs of around 17 degrees in both Kaikoura and Christchurch.

ENDS

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