Spring Gives a Taste of All Seasons
After a week where Alexandra, Gore and Wanaka had a heat wave, MetService is forecasting that the westerly wind flow
across the country this weekend will deliver a number of fronts. These fronts will bring cloudy, wet and cold weather to
western areas.
A very slow-moving front affects the upper North Island from Northland to Gisborne, bringing rain with some localised
heavy falls, finally moving north later on Sunday. Meanwhile further south, a front bringing rain moves up the west
coast of the South Island today, lying through Cook Strait by midnight. Eastern parts of both Islands are more sheltered
but scattered rain does affect some of these areas in the north and south.
Sunday’s weather pattern seems like a repeat of Saturday, but a cold front from the southern seas is expected to bring
colder air onto the South Island impacting the weather.
“The rain combined with cold air and lowering freezing levels will fall as snow about the ranges in the south,” said
meteorologist Tui McInnes, “MetService are advising people to check the forecast before heading out on higher roads or
going tramping or camping, as temperatures will drop significantly at higher altitudes.”
McInnes continued, “While the weekend will be wet for many parts of the country, Canterbury is the place to be this
weekend, with warm and fine weather for the most part”.
Once we move ahead to Monday, a ridge briefly brings some respite from the rain. However, looking ahead to Tuesday an
intense, deep low approaches from the Tasman Sea and is expected to bring widespread gales, heavy rain to the south and
west and more snow to the southern ranges.