It’s been with us since last Friday and as we head into Tuesday more severe weather is expected across a number of regions.

The government forecaster, MetService, is predicting a risk of more severe gales and heavy snow in both islands.

As the deep low from the weekend begins to move away other lows that normally circle around Antarctica are fuelling the windy, cold, weather over the lower South Island and driving strong to gale force winds over central regions of the country, roughly from Canterbury to Taranaki.

More snow is also expected around Southland and Otago and possibly the Desert Road.

But there is some good news – WeatherWatch.co.nz’s head weather analyst says the severe weather is increasingly becoming confined to places where it’s “more normal”.

“At this time of the year it’s not uncommon to see winds gusting to 130km/h at Castlepoint in Taranaki or winds on the Hauraki Gulf sustained at gale force.  Over the next few days we will see the severe weather becoming confined to places where it’s more normal and less severe weather in our main centres” says Philip Duncan.

“Even the snow flurries and sleet in Southland should be more at a ‘normal’ level for September over the next couple of days”.

Mr Duncan says while more weather warnings are likely the worst of this severe weather event is behind us.  “The worst was certainly on Friday and Saturday so we will gradually see things calming down over the rest of the working week.   That shouldn’t detract from any warnings or watches though – they should still be taken seriously if you live in an affected region and especially those in Southland as snow events can change very quickly”.

Map courtesy NZ Govt

Homepage image: Snow in Invercargill at the weekend – Malcolm Gayfer