This year WeatherWatch turns ten and almost from day one we’ve been asking New Zealanders various questions about the weather and our seasons…and one thing has never changed – Autumn is our favourite season.

Each year we ask you – which season is your favourite? And each and every year you reply with “Autumn”. 

But only just.

Summer is always a close second – especially this year where just a handful of votes out of 400 made the difference.  

Which is your favourite season of the year?
Summer – 34%
Autumn – 36%
Winter – 12%
Spring – 18%

“People often tell us Autumn is their favourite season as it usually starts off warm and dry like summer but with cooler nights for sleeping” says head weather analyst Philip Duncan.  “Many farmers and growers also feel more comfortable in autumn as rain makers return with a little more certainty”.

Mr Duncan says whether it’s through his work at CountryTV or the Herald weather videos – the feedback is always the same, Autumn pips summer as our favourite season.

While the meteorological end to summer is February 28th in New Zealand and Australia – the astronomical date isn’t until the equnox in the third week of March.  

“Southland, Otago and the West Coast will be the first regions to slide into an Autumn pattern and in fact it’s already started – with fronts expected to move across those regions almost every day for the first week of March”.

However the start of Autumn also signals the time of the year when our seas and oceans are warmest.  “This is a great time of the year to go for swims at the beach – but its also the best time of the year for tropical storms” says Mr Duncan.

Long range models already indicate a potential tropical cyclone north west of New Zealand around the second and third weeks of March.

As for March itself – WeatherWatch.co.nz today sent reports to both Fonterra and the Ministry for Primary Industries saying very wet weather likely for the start of the month on the West Coast with some spilover into the dry east.  Some rain and showers may also affect northern New Zealand for a time next week – which will be especially welcome in Waikato and Bay of Plenty.  

However weeks two and three look quite dry, apart from a few showers here and there.  Later into week three and week four all eyes will be north or north west of New Zealand due to the possibility of an ex-cyclone or sub-tropical development.

WeatherWatch.co.nz has weekly polls – the next one is out tomorrow, Sunday, on our website homepage.

– Homepage image / File, David Hawke

– WeatherWatch.co.nz