> From the WeatherWatch archives
FRIDAY: COLD SNAP
SATURDAY: PERFECT DUCK SHOOTING WEATHER
SUNDAY: ANOTHER TASMAN LOW SUNDAY
…ITS ALL GO!
The next three days will see the shift from colder weather to warmer weather as a southern low fades away and makes room for another Tasman Sea low. Several cold fronts over the country in recent days have had a gradual “staircase” effect on temperatures according to TRN’s Head weather analyst Philip Duncan. “It’s been like a staircase, with each front that passes the temperature has dropped a degree or two then levelled out, another degree or two, then levelled out again. Today yet another cold front will see temperatures drop another 1 or 2 degrees right across New Zealand”.
Snow will fall to low levels in the South Island today and Duncan says the ranges in the North Island will also see a slight dusting at high altitudes. “It’ll be a little chillier today with Invercargill, Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and Napier feeling most of the cold. Aucklanders will feel a slight nip in the air, but to be honest this Autumn is considerably warmer than previous years. While the nights have been a little cooler I still haven’t brought myself to light my fire yet. When I light that, that’s when winter weather really starts!”.
Meanwhile duck shooters will be pleased with Saturday’s weather. The forecast is for showers, quite breezy winds and cold temperatures for many rural areas – ideal duck shooting weather according to Duncan. “Well, I’m not a duck shooter, but I’ve been told that is ideal weather! Saturday and Sunday both look pretty good, with Sunday becoming more settled”.
And speaking of Sunday another Tasman Sea low will develop this weekend and should bring rain to northern New Zealand late Sunday or early Monday. “This is the third significant Tasman Sea low in two and half weeks. I’ve been saying since January that Autumn would herald a change in rain patterns, ending all droughts. This is now happening and I think it’s more proof that our winter will be a much wetter one”. Duncan says farmers and residents in northern New Zealand should be prepared for what could be a very wet winter. “With La Nina still in full swing and those big blocking highs well and truly fading away, we are likely to see more sub-tropical lows dumping rain over northern New Zealand, while the South Island says drier with big cold snaps in the far south”.
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