August 31st marks the end of winter on the meteorological calendar, and according to polls run by WeatherWatch.co.nz over the years, about 70% of New Zealanders consider Thursday September 1st to be the start of spring.

The weather forecast for Winter’s final day?  Calm and dry under a very large high pressure system.

By Wednesday night the centre of this big high will be over the North Island – which means as we head into Thursday we can expect another mostly settled and dry day – although westerly quarter winds will be forming south of Wellington from Thursday.

Temperature-wise, Wednesday looks average to slightly above average, with daytime highs reaching into the mid to late teens for most regions.

A very light frost is possible for areas well inland overnight tonight.

The Start and End Dates

Meteorological Dates:
Winter ends August 31, Spring starts September 1st

Astronomical Dates:
Winter ends September 22nd, Spring starts September 23rd.