It might be mild across many parts of New Zealand today but a bitterly cold southerly is brewing predicts WeatherWatch.co.nz forecasters.

A large high now sits to the east of New Zealand, pulling down a warm, humid, north to north east flow over much of the country.  Temperatures were very mild overnight in the upper North Island with tonight expected to be even warmer, with a number of regions not dropping below the late teens.

“It’s hard to believe we’re a week out from May and temperatures are so high” says head weather analyst Philip Duncan.  “But we need to make the most of it because our second wintry blast in a week is on its way”.

Mr Duncan says a sub-tropical low is brewing and will bring heavy rain to northern New Zealand for Anzac Day/Easter Monday but a storm in the Southern Ocean will fire up a bitterly cold southerly at the same time.  “On Monday this very cold southerly will blast out of the Southern Ocean and reach the lower North Island by the end of the day.  On Tuesday it will move into Auckland and northern new Zealand as a strong, cold, south easterly”.

“We’ll have sub-tropical rain in the North Island and a wintry southerly advancing northwards in the South Island”.

WeatherWatch.co.nz predicts snow to several hundred metres in the South Island and highs on Monday in Dunedin and Invercargill may struggle to even break double digits.

The southerly should hit Wellington by the end of the day.

For Anzac Day dawn ceremonies temperatures should be fairly mild over much of the country with drizzle or rain predicted in a number of centres in the north, with driest weather in eastern areas south of Gisborne.

Homepage image / File, Allen Pidwell

– WeatherWatch.co.nz