An area of high pressure over the country means there will be hints of summer in the air this weekend, MetService says.
The forecaster said the dry spell may be long-awaited in parts of the country which have already broken their monthly rainfall record in October, such as southern regions of the South Island.
MetService said the area of high pressure will bring with it warm afternoons and light northerly winds for most.
“It should be noted that conditions are not entirely cloud-free,” it warned.
“The ridge of high pressure over the country does a great job of preventing — or blocking — the progression of an area of low pressure sitting in the Tasman Sea. However, as these areas gradually move eastwards, some tendrils of the low make it to our western shores as brief showers and cloudy periods although there will be plenty of blue skies in between,” MetService meteorologist Clare O’Connor said.
Afternoon showers are also expected about inland areas over the weekend — another indicator of a shift towards summer weather patterns.
MetService said it’s good news for those with green thumbs who’ll be able to start their spring planting this weekend, and early summer-like temperatures will be felt as the weekend comes to a close. In the lower South Island, maximum temperatures are forecast to reach the low twenties.
“These warmer, drier conditions are also expected to continue into the week ahead, but it is still too early to offer a definitive outlook for the upcoming long weekend. However, there are indications for warm temperatures to kick off the (extra) long weekend about Hawke’s Bay,” O’Connor said.
Up to date information on the weather can be found on the MetService website.
