Temperatures in the east and south of the mainland have been very cool over the last couple of weeks and aren’t likely to climb too high, despite some sunshine expected over the next day or two.

Over the South Island, rainfall totals from Marlborough to parts of South Otago have been high recently and temperatures have been about 2 degrees below average during daylight hours, making it seem more like the depths of winter, rather than the cusp of late Autumn and the beginning of the 3 chilliest months of year.

Christchurch has trebled its usual rainfall total to date for the month with just single digit highs and Dunedin hasn’t totally escaped either but Invercargill in the deep south, has actually not had it as cold or wet as their northern neighbours.
If there has been one positive overall in the east, cloudy skies overnight have kept the mercury a little above the May average.

The next couple of days should see sunny skies over much of the South Island with crisp nights likely, however Queens Birthday weekend isn’t looking the sunniest and warmest on record for any of the regions mentioned above.

It isn’t all doom and gloom for the south for mainlanders though, because out west  the weather has been at its prime in Nelson, Westport, Greymouth, Hokitika, and Milford Sound, as they been basking in glorious sunshine with some very pleasant temperatures.