‘Changeable’ is the word
We are still officially in winter, but the current bout of weather is looking decidedly spring-like.
“After yesterday’s front and heavy rain, an unsettled westerly flow has moved in for the weekend; as a result, western
areas are still looking wet at times while in the east it will be drier and warmer,” said MetService forecaster Cam
Coutts.
There is a wet cold front caught up in these westerlies which moves over the South Island early on Saturday, and then
onto the North Island on Sunday.
“The northwest winds ahead of this front help push temperatures into the high teens and early twenties for eastern
centres, mainly on Saturday. Northland, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay are looking like the warmest spots,” said Coutts.
Forecast maximum temperatures for Saturday
Western areas of the country remain showery. The west of the South Island is also expected to see some thunderstorm
activity as the cold front brings a period of persistent rain.
“Luckily this front is a fast mover, so rainfall amounts are not expected to get into Severe Weather Warning or Watch
territory,” said Coutts, “but it will bring further accumulations to already damp areas,” he added.
As we head into the next working week, a cooler southwest flow brings snow down to about 700 metres in the south of the
South Island. So while there are some signs of spring, there’s a long way to go until summer!
ends