Covering period of Monday 3 - Thursday 6 February

MetService is forecasting a mostly settled start to the week before a brief spell of rain moves over the South Island in time for Waitangi Day. This will bring a cooler day for the island, while sunny skies are on the cards for other parts of the country. Meanwhile, activity continues to develop in the tropics.

Monday and Tuesday offer sunny and dry weather for many parts of the country, thanks to a ridge of high pressure. While some areas may experience cloud cover at times or an isolated shower, particularly in the northern half of the North Island, as well as the lower and eastern South Island, most places can expect a summery couple of days.

Temperatures climb in the lower South Island on Wednesday, with highs in the mid to upper 20s. However, this warmth will be short-lived as a weather system approaches from the west, bringing rain at night.

MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane says, “Brief rain spreads up the South Island on Thursday, bringing a cooler day for many. For the rest of the country, Waitangi Day is shaping up to be mostly settled, including in Waitangi itself.”

At the same time, MetService continues to keep a close watch on the tropics, where a couple of low-pressure systems between Australia and Vanuatu have the potential to develop into tropical cyclones. These systems may bring heavy rain to parts of Vanuatu and New Caledonia, along with strong winds and large waves across the region, including waters near Australia’s east coast.

“At this early stage, these systems appear likely to remain north of Aotearoa New Zealand as they move eastwards, but our meteorologists will continue to monitor their development,” Makgabutlane says. Further details on these systems can be found on the websites of the Fiji Meteorological Service and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.

Back home, a new month means the latest Monthly Outlook for February is out. In short, the month is starting off on the drier side, but be watchful of any northerly lows as we approach mid-month, with the month ending on a more seasonal flavour. For the full outlook, check it out here.

© Scoop Media