Dreary days set to continue
Gloomy weather is forecast to hang around South Canterbury at least until the end of the week with persistent onshore winds contributing to a long spell of drizzle, rain and cloud.
MetService meteorologist Angus Hines said persistent easterly winds in Canterbury had produced the dreary conditions for more than a week.
There is no real relief insight as he forecast only a brief break in the weather tomorrow, before the return of more cloud and rain.
‘‘There is a lot of cloud on the ocean at the moment.
‘‘We have a low weather system over the Chatham Islands which adds up to clouds onshore here.’’
Hines said today would largely consist of rain with a few fine spells after lunch.
‘‘We expect to see it brighter on Friday, it will be the best day this week but it will still be cloudy.
‘‘It will be more or less fine with evening cloud, probably not completely fine.
‘‘The cloud will roll in again on Saturday and Sunday, although it will be higher cloud and slightly warmer conditions so it won’t feel so gloomy.’’
While a lack of sunshine may have put a dampener on spirits this week, there has been a silver lining for Ralph and Nichole Moerhuis of Timaru Drycleaners.
Ralph said the 12 clothes dryers at their Elizabeth St business had been running at capacity.
‘‘We have noticed an increased usage of dryers, with the continuous wet weather this week, we have been unusually busy.’’
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) meteorologist Seth Carrier said rainfall and temperatures in South Canterbury were near average in June.
‘‘Gloomy, cloudy weather is not unusual in the eastern South Island when winds are coming off the Pacific Ocean, which has happened quite a bit recently.
‘‘While westerlies tend to be dry in South Canterbury, easterly wind flows allow moisture to come onshore from the Pacific Ocean.
‘‘Easterly winds bring moist air onshore that gets piled up against the Southern Alps and has no way to disperse; this can result in plenty of cloud cover along with rain showers and drizzle.’’
South Canterbury is forecast to receive near average to above average temperatures in July, he said, due to periodic westerly winds and above average water temperatures.
‘‘We think that wind flows in July will be a mix of westerlies and north-easterlies.
‘‘When these north-easterlies occur, there will be the chance for cloudy days with showers or drizzle.’’
The seasonal outlook forecast temperatures likely to be near normal (45 per cent) in July.
During the periods of northeasterly winds, the chance for moist, subtropical low pressure systems, similar to those experienced in the past week, was expected to increase, the Niwa report said.