Spring in full swing
Spring snow flurries and hailstorms impacted New Zealand towards the end of last week, and that led into a fairly chilly
start to the weekend. As the weekend has gone on, the weather has settled and the temperatures have returned to typical
spring values.
It was a large pocket of cold air in the upper atmosphere which caused the weather headlines this week. Flurries of snow
down to 400-500m affected Otago, Canterbury and Marlborough, while thunderstorms and hail have had a significant impact
on both islands over the last few days. On Friday, an extended burst of hail was reported to have damaged new spring
crops in Motueka.
As is typical for this time of year, the upcoming week will contain a bit of everything. “The good news is we start the
week off on the right foot, as the decent weather most people experience on Sunday will persist into Monday”, said
MetService meteorologist Angus Hines, “However, that nice start will be rudely interrupted by a front which moves onto
New Zealand on Tuesday”.
Initially the South Island will bear the brunt of the weather, as this front is expected to bring periods of rain to
western parts of the island, and strong winds to the east. MetService has already issued a Severe Weather Watch for
northwesterly gales about the lower South Island starting on Monday night. On the flipside, the North Island will
experience a few more predominantly dry days before the front arrives during Wednesday, which will be welcome relief
after prolonged wet weather has caused headaches for farmers and outdoor adventurers alike