A high pressure system that WeatherWatch.co.nz described last month as a very large high is still on track to affect our weather in the second half of January.

Currently it’s situated south of Australia and will take at least another week to edge eastwards towards us. 

WeatherWatch.co.nz maintains the same forecast that the changeable and sometimes windy weather over many northern areas would fade out by mid January.

On top of that, while rain and showers are in the forecast for some over the next few days, many in the north, north east and east of both islands will have far more dry weather than wet weather over the next 10 days.

In fact, some northern areas may not see a solid day of rain for a few weeks if this high comes in as predicted and the southern fronts fall apart as they head north.

The dry prediction will bring smiles to most – with even farmers for the most part in a pretty healthy set up, and many continue to ask us when a 3 day dry window will appear so they can cut hay. There will be many opportunities in mid to late January for this if you haven’t done so already.

Still spring for some in the South Island?

However residents in some parts of the South Island aren’t having the most ideal start to summer. It’s been fairly wet for southern and western areas and the wind has often swung around to cooler southerlies.  While we see more westerlies and therefore much warmer weather coming in this month for the Deep South there is still the risk of south west changes and cooler spring-like conditions.  Unfortuntely we still can’t see an end to this pattern for you but conditions are gradually improving. The big high coming in for week 3 will cover the upper South Island but yet again leave southern areas more exposed to Southern Ocean systems.

Dunedin has a high of just 13 degrees today and a week ahead of miserable low to mid teen highs.  But windier westerlies may make things much warmer the following week.

Further north while Christchurch warms up to 21 today, Thursday’s high is just 16 – but races back up to 27 by Sunday.

Campers and Holidaymakers 

Campers may be a little frustrated that the settled weather is mostly kicking in towards the end of the school holidays for some areas, but WeatherWatch.co.nz says that’s the risk for having our major summer holiday break at the very start of summer rather than mid to late summer when the weather is hottest and calmest – which is February.

So make the most of any rain that falls over the next 48 hours – for some people it may be a while between drinks.

– Image / Rangitoto in Auckland on a day much like today, File, Roderick Davison
– By head weather analyst Philip Duncan
– WeatherWatch.co.nz