Winter is making a return to the South Island today bringing a dramatic change in temperatures from the past two days.   The south west change will see temperatures falling from near 30 in places like Otago and Canterbury closer to 12 to 15.  

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says it’ll bring snow to the ranges tonight and could bring snow light flurries to high alpine roads.  “The cold change will spread up the country during the next 24 hours but there’s perhaps an even colder snap arriving late on Friday and into Saturday”.

“Spring has certainly taken it’s time to get going this year but the season appears to be finally waking up”.

Mr Duncan says the weather forecast for New Zealand over the next 5 days is set to be windy, showery and getting progressively colder.  “Severe north west gales are definitely looking likely for southern and eastern areas of both islands this Friday and Saturday – that means hot weather is likely for a time but the southerly change behind it will certainly have a sting in it”.

The Weather Watch Centre’s Archives show last October was stormy from very early in the month then November saw a change to dry, calmer, weather.  “As I said early in September with no La Nina and no El Nino currently active that will favour an increase in the prevailing winds, which are from the westerly quarter” says Duncan.   He says this is being reflected in eastern areas where some farmers are reporting farms are becoming dry. 

There’s still a question mark over what Summer will bring but with a potentially active cyclone season across north east Australia it is possible to suggest New Zealand may see an increase in ex-tropical storms – or lows coming down from the humid north west.