08-Jul-2004
The Coldest Week of the Year is Nigh
Metservice meteorologists are forecasting frosty weather to set in over much of New Zealand over the weekend, so that
the coming week may well be the coldest of the year.
"Following tonight's showery southwest change, some spots in central parts of the South Island may well see ten or more
degrees of frost at some stage in the next five days," commented MetService Weather Ambassador, Bob McDavitt. "The
coldest time of the year is usually in July or early August and the large slow-moving anticyclone now on our weather
maps is an ideal candidate to bring us this year's low."
McDavitt went on to say that the coldest-ever observed air temperature in New Zealand was -21.6 degrees Celsius at Ophir
(near Alexandra) on 3 July 1995. "Ground frosts can be as much as 4 degrees cooler than the observed air temperature."
In contrast to the frost forecast for the South Island, MetService is forecasting some wind and showers this weekend for
the far northeast of the North Island. According to McDavitt a low pressure system is expected to skirt around the north
side of the anticyclone. "The forecast for the rugby game between All Blacks and Pacific Islanders at North Harbour
stadium in Albany on Saturday night is for gusty southeast winds and dry conditions."
ENDS