Forget the winter blast last week – as predicted by WeatherWatch.co.nz last Wednesday the spring warmth has raced back into a number of regions today.  In Christchurch the mercury has risen to 20 degrees with a westerly breeze, with other parts of Canterbury hovering around the 20 degree mark.

But unlike last week the air today isn’t coming from the Southern Ocean – it’s instead coming from South Australia and up over the Southern Alps.

Weather Video: Watch Philip Duncan talk about the weather this week and weekend across NZ, plus the latest on Hurricane Irene

As the air moves over the ranges it deposits most of the moisture on the West Coast and the drier, warmer, air moves over the east coast.  “The dry air moves quickly down the eastern side of the Southern Alps and that friction heats it up even more” says WeatherWatch.co.nz head weather analyst Philip Duncan.  “As we head into spring we’ll see more and more of these 20 degree days with highs in the mid 20s possible coming as early as September”.

But Mr Duncan says farmers shouldn’t become complacent with both WeatherWatch.co.nz and NIWA warning of the possibility of more snow storms.  “We don’t see anything in the next week or two but that risk remains with us up until the end of October, we have that type of weather pattern this year”.

Despite the cold blast last week winter has, overall, been mild for most places.  Even last weeks cold blast was short lived, hanging on for less than 7 days before the warmer weather returned.

What are weather conditions like where you are today?  Post a comment below!