Wrap up, winter’s icy chill is back
Heavy rain watches in place across much of the country, after mid-week respite
After weeks of mild winter weather — last month was the second-warmest July on record, according to Niwa — a Southern Ocean storm brought 15m waves, hail, thunder, gales and snow to parts of the country last weekend.
After a mid-week lull, a second burst of polar weather arrived yesterday, coating South Island mountain hamlets such as Arthur’s Pass and Mt Cook village in white, bringing rumbles of thunder to the lower North Island and downpours across the middle of the country.
However, some northern areas
also saw bursts of sunshine that pushed the temperature to 20C in Wha¯nga¯rei and 18C in Auckland. Today, similar.
Heavy rain warnings have been issued by the MetService for North Otago, the Canterbury plains and foothills of the Rangitata River through to 11am today.
Snow is forecast in Dunedin, with significant falls of up to 40cm above 500m. And areas below 300m in the city are under a heavy rain watch.
There is also a heavy rain warning in the Tararua Ranges until 11pm today, with thunderstorms possible.
Canterbury, between Rangiora and the Rangitata River, along with Central Otago is under a watch for snow to 300m, and heavy snow falls above 500m this morning.
Heavy rain watches are in place for Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui, Taranaki, the ranges east of Whakatane, Buller and west of Motueka and the Canterbury plains and foothills.
Auckland will be wet and windy, with showers — with possible thunderstorms, and a high of 17C. Wellington will be wet too, with occasional showers and 14C, and Christchurch and Dunedin can expect rain with highs of 11C and 8C respectively.
Winter was definitely here, MetService meteorologist Sarah Haddon said.
“June and July were quite mild compared to what we’ve had in the last week or so. But we are in winter, so snow, instability — this is nothing uncommon.”
The latest weather system was a slow mover, with the South Island improving tomorrow and the North Island on Tuesday.
Don’t expect tropical weather any time soon though.
“It’s still going to be showery and cold, just a bit less showery and cold.”