Autumnal weather now in place

[JennyLeez]

Quite possibly this headline doesn't come as a surprise to you - summer is basically over and March is looking Autumnal according to WeatherWatch.co.nz forecasters.

A shift in the weather pattern this week will see winds dominating New Zealand from the south and west over the next several days - with the incoming air generally expected to be cooler and less humid than previous weeks.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says this isn't winter arriving, just the normal Autumn process, which is a mix of everything.  "We're certainly seeing more signs that our weather will mostly come from the west and south over the next couple of weeks"

Mr Duncan says the shift to west or south west winds, however, can mean hotter days for some regions.

"As we're seeing in Auckland today, a southerly doesn't have to be cold and miserable.  In fact with a west to south west wind building later this week it could favour spectacular weather in some eastern and north eastern regions - like Bay of Plenty, eastern Coromandel, Gisborne, Nelson, Marlborough and Central Otago.

From time to time the winds will bring in hotter weather for eastern areas like Canterbury, Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay with 30+ degree days still on the cards - but with cooler nights due to the south west flow which may dominate over the next week.

With a lack of humidity and the air coming from well south in the Southern Ocean single digit lows can be expected, at times, as far north as Central Plateau and Waikato.

So the next few weeks look set to be a continuation of February weather - but with a slight chill in the evening air.

WeatherWatch.co.nz

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[Mark]

Stormy weather coming


A cold southerly, heavy rain, the risk of thunder and gale force winds make up the forecast for Wednesday and Thursday, predicts WeatherWatch.co.nz.

The weather news authority says an incoming southerly and a developing low will help create a turbulent few days with a significant temperature drop for some regions, while others will see more wind and rain.

While confidence of rain warnings remains low to moderate at this stage, the slow moving front - running into high air pressure over northern New Zealand - means rain warnings can't be ruled out as rain clouds may linger for longer.

But whether or not the rain and wind reach warning criteria it doesn't remove the fact that many regions are in for wind, cold and rain... or all three.

The main front will move into Southland on Wednesday - and by Thursday the sou'wester will strengthen.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says the air is coming from half way between Antarctica and Australia - which is usually a cool wind direction with low humidity.

The colder air will see places like Invercargill drop from the low 20s over the past few days to around 14 degrees on Thursday.

This mix of warm and cold air may generate a few thunderstorms around the country over Wednesday and Thursday as well.

Some more remote parts of Southland and Otago may fail to even reach the teens at the highest point on Thursday.

For the North Island rain and showers will push into many places over Wednesday and Thursday - mainly in the west - with Taranaki and surrounding regions most exposed to prolonged rainy spells due to the front's movement being slowed down by higher air pressure in the north.
By Saturday a fairly brisk and cool sou'wester will return - but for sheltered areas and for those in the north east of both islands the weather may be sunny and still fairly hot during the day.

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/13024563/stormy-weather-coming/