MetService is forecasting another week of high pressure over Aotearoa, which brings settled conditions. However, these
settled conditions will breakdown for some areas by the weekend.
MetService Meteorologist Ashlee Parkes elaborates, “Trapped moisture under this high-pressure system means most areas
will experience relatively cloudy days with light winds.”
A weak onshore flow for eastern areas will bring occasional drizzle throughout the week, while western areas will see
afternoon fine breaks as the land heats during the day.
The western South Island will see an end to the settled weather from Friday as a front makes its way onto Fiordland.
Parkes continues “Periods of rain will creep north into Westland on Saturday with this front. A northerly wind flow will
also set up over the South Island with this feature, bringing warmer days to eastern and southern areas by the end of
the week.”
This week also marks World Meteorological Day on Tuesday 23rd March. This year’s theme is the ocean, our climate and
weather. The oceans cover approximately 70% of the Earth’s surface and are a major driver for weather across the globe,
especially here in Aotearoa where we are surrounded by ocean. More about World Meteorological Day, our oceans and
weather can be read on the World Meteorological Organization’ website at: https://public.wmo.int/en/resources/world-meteorological-day/wmd-2021-the-ocean-our-climate-and-weather