Source: MetService
Covering period of Monday 1st – Friday 5th August – Winter wrapped up with some of the harshest winds recorded in August.
Southerly winds are ushering in cooler air, leading to frosty mornings in places.
Severe gale southwesterly winds are expected for Stewart Island today, where a Strong Wind Warning has been issued.
Strong Wind Watches are in place for Hawke’s Bay (south of Hastings), the Tararua District, Dunedin, Clutha, Southland (south of Gore), and the Chatham Islands.
Road Snowfall Warnings are in effect for Arthur’s Pass (SH73), Lindis Pass (SH8), Crown Range Road, and Milford Road (SH94) over the next two days.
Today’s weather:
The start of meteorological spring brings calmer, more settled conditions to the North Island, with mostly light showers and plenty of sunshine in the east. In contrast, the South Island woke to cloudier skies and showers, some heavy with thunderstorms and gusts up to 90 km/h on the West Coast, as a cold front moved up the island.
That front will sweep quickly up the country, followed by a second front that will prolong rain and snowfall in the South Island. Cooler southerlies trailing behind will drop overnight lows, leading to widespread frosts.
Looking ahead:
By midweek, a high-pressure system will bring more settled conditions nationwide. However, the West Coast of the South Island will continue to see rain, possibly heavy at times, persisting into Thursday, while the rest of the country stays mostly settled.
The week ahead looks mostly calm with plenty of sunshine, aside from a few light showers this evening and possibly again Tuesday afternoon.
MetService Meteorologist Kgolofelo Dube says, “This is good news for participants and supporters at the Zespri AIMS Games, which runs through to Friday 5 September in Tauranga Moana.”
Watches & Warnings (next two days):
Strong Wind Warning – Stewart Island: 11am – 6pm Monday, 1 Sept
Strong Wind Watch – Hawke’s Bay (south of Hastings) & Tararua District: 11am – midnight, Monday 1 Sept
Strong Wind Watch – Dunedin, Clutha, Southland (south of Gore): 1pm – 8pm, Monday 1 Sept
Strong Wind Watch – Chatham Islands: 5am – 10 am Tuesday, 2 Sept
Road Snowfall Warning – Arthur’s Pass (SH73): Midnight Monday – 10am Tuesday, 2 Sept
Road Snowfall Warning – Lindis Pass (SH8): 6am – 8am Tuesday, 2 Sept
Road Snowfall Warning – Crown Range Road: Midnight Monday – 9am Tuesday, 2 Sept
Road Snowfall Warning – Milford Road (SH94): 10pm Monday – 9am Tuesday, 2 Sept
Expect possible damage to trees, powerlines, and unsecured structures. Driving may be hazardous, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles. Please keep up to date with the most current information from MetService at http://bit.ly/metservicenz
