Spring has sprung a nasty surprise

Spring has officially arrived and to celebrate it is bringing turbulent and grim weather for much of the country.

Auckland was battered with wind and rain for much of yesterday but that didn’t stop hard-nosed runners from competing in the North Shore Marathon, in which 1518 people crossed the finish line.

It marked the first day of what is forecast to be a rough weather week, with cold winds and snow, as a trough moves over the country.

“Snow in the south could affect roads,” MetService meteorologist Andy Best said.

“We do have quite a few watches out. There is this complex low crossing the country.”

A front passing over the country would be followed by a disturbed west to northwest flow spreading to central and northern New Zealand and bringing a risk of thunderstorms.

A moderate thunderstorm risk lies over Northland, Auckland and areas of the Coromandel Peninsula before dawn today and about the Bay of Plenty during the morning.

The thunderstorms have the potential to bring heavy localised rain of 10 to 25mm/h and strong winds gusting from 90 to 100km/ h. There is the possibility one or two of these thunderstorms may become severe.

“The trough moves over central New Zealand by midday Monday, then over the upper North Island Monday evening.

“Strong, cold southerly winds will follow in the wake of the trough,” Best said.

The strong southerlies could bring snow down to 100m in some places around the South Island.

Southland, Fiordland, Otago, Canterbury and Marlborough should expect snow as cold and moist air combine in the lowpressure weather system.

The system will move east of the North Island from late today, bringing cold south to southeast winds south of Auckland.

Much of the North Island will struggle to reach the low teens; Wellington is only expected to reach 10C from tomorrow to Thursday.

Tomorrow and on Wednesday and Thursday a ridge of highpressure will build across the South Island from the Tasman Sea.

The new front should bring settled but cold weather for much of the South Island with light winds and overnight frosts expected.