Strong to gale force winds are pushing across Canterbury ahead of a couple of cold changes this weekend.

The winds are blustery and have blown trees down and made driving hazardous in some areas.

It’s warm too – in fact you could argue it’s hot with temperatures currently in the mid 20s, some even creeping higher.

Winds will ease overnight and temperatures drop tomorrow as a result.

The real cold change arrives on Sunday and Monday for Canterbury and while much colder, winds shouldn’t be as strong as they are today.

Highest temperatures on Monday in Canterbury will be as much as 15 degrees cooler than they are today.

The temperatures below are from 2:10pm, a couple weather stations are not perfectly accurate (ie, 30 degrees) in this mix but you can see the general trends which are accurate / Wunderground’s NZ Community Network Stations 

It’s very windy in South Canterbury at the moment gum tree blown over the road Pareora Gorge. Pic Leana Marie FB @WeatherWatchNZ @MetService pic.twitter.com/Kot6hRXoXC

— Brad Dennison (@kiwisurfa) April 28, 2017

– WeatherWatch.co.nz