More storms then heat
Hot Australian air has the South Island in its sights for the weekend but there’s plenty of stormy, chilly weather to come first.
Temperatures are predicted to soar into the high 20s in parts of Otago and Southland on Saturday, and on Sunday may even hit 30 degrees Celsius in Canterbury and Marlborough.
Before that Aussie air mass arrives, there are still a few days of cooler temperatures to come, as well as a risk of more thunderstorms across the Canterbury Plains this afternoon, accompanied by a squally southerly wind change.
MetService forecaster Paul
Ngamanu told The Press if November temperature records were to be set at the weekend, it would most likely be in the far south, given current November heat records were lower there than in Canterbury.
Thunderstorms swept across parts of Canterbury and North Otago yesterday afternoon. Most were spawned on the foothills and tracked across the Plains and North Canterbury, largely missing Christchurch.
MetService meteorologist Stephen Glassey said strong spring sunshine had heated the land, allowing sun-warmed air to rise.
A cold pool of air at higher levels ensured the warmer bubble of air from the ground surface kept rising, generating vigorous cumulonimbus clouds bringing the thunderstorms.
More thunderstorms were predicted this afternoon or evening, as a stronger, colder southwesterly change blasted north.
‘‘[Yesterday] most of this activity is inland in Canterbury, but the southwest flow is pushing the thunder clouds towards the coast.
‘‘[Today] the situation is quite a bit different. It’s associated with a strong southwest change, which could almost be like a southerly buster.’’
Some thunderstorms were likely to form along that wind change, Glassey said.
Tomorrow and Friday’s weather looked mild and settled for Canterbury with maximums in the high teens before things warmed up on Saturday ahead of the forecast hot Sunday.
‘‘today
. . . could almost be like a southerly buster.’’ MetService meteorologist Stephen Glassey