Forecast - Tuesday 03.09.2013

[Te Puke Weather]

Today is the last day of our current anticyclone that has been giving the country settled and in many cases, sunny weather. Overnight a cold front moves onto the lower South Island.

Northland
South to southwest breezes with sunny spells. Winds generally light, moderate on western coastlines.
Highs: 14-16

Auckland
Sunny in the morning with light winds, afternoon southwesterlies bring some cloud.
High: 16

Bay Of Plenty, Waikato & Central North Island
Sunny with light winds tending west to southwest in the afternoon, a few clouds from afternoon also mainly about Waikato and the Central North Island.
Highs: 14-17

Eastern North Island
Any early morning cloud clears to a sunny day, light southerlies at first dying out around midday. There is the chance of an early shower about Gisborne then clearing.
Highs: 14-16

Western North Island
Mostly sunny with light winds, afternoon west to southwest winds may bring some cloud. Cloud increases overnight.
Highs: 14-16

Wellington
Sunny with some cloud, northerly breezes. Cloud increases overnight.
Highs: 12-13

Nelson
Sunny with west to southwest breezes.
High: 15-16

Marlborough
Sunny with light winds, some high cloud towards evening.
High: 17

Canterbury
Sunny with some high cloud, light winds tend southerly around midday then drop away in the evening. High cloud thickens later in the evening.
Highs: 14-16

West Coast
Sunny spells in the morning however cloud increases afternoon, some rain develops evening. Westerly winds.
Highs: 13-14

Coastal Otago
Some morning cloud may bring a brief shower or two with westerly winds, then becoming mostly sunny. High cloud thickens from evening then overnight a cold southwest change develops bringing showers with small hail, snow flurries to 400m by dawn on Wednesday.
Highs: 14-15

Southland & Central Otago
A few brief early showers clear then sunny spells develop with west to northwest winds. Cloud increases from afternoon however then evening some rain moves in about Southland. An overnight southwest change brings wintry showers with small hail and snow to 500m lowering to 300m by dawn on Wednesday.
Highs: 13-14

WeatherWatch.co.nz

• Tweet

[JennyLeez]

A cold front is expected to move northeast onto the south of the South Island this evening. This front marks the onset of cold air at upper levels and increasing instability.
Showers continue for the east coast of the North Island.


NZLWF

[JennyLeez]

Special Weather Advisory from the metservice:

A vigorous cold front is expected to reach the lower South Island by midnight Tuesday, then move rapidly north over the country during Wednesday. During Wednesday and into early Thursday, cold, strong to gale southerlies spread over the country behind this front, with snow to low levels about southern and eastern parts of the South Island and lower North Island. At this stage, significant snow accumulations are expected to be limited to the ranges and higher level roads of both islands. However, people about Southland, Clutha and Dunedin should expect snow to near sea level during Wednesday. From later on Wednesday until early Thursday, snow is expected to fall to about 200 metres in Canterbury north of about the Rakaia River and southern Marlborough, with sleet or bitterly cold rain to near sea level. Over the North Island, temperatures are expected to become significantly colder during Wednesday afternoon and evening, especially about Wellington, Wairarapa and the central plateau, with snow above 400 metres, and southerly gales about and near Cook Strait. Snow is likely to cause disruption to traffic, especially about the higher level roads of both islands. Farmers are advised that the combination of bitterly cold southerlies, rain and snow, is likely to cause stress to vulnerable stock.

There is a low confidence of heavy rain in Gisborne and northern Hawkes Bay on Wednesday and Thursday, with snow likely about the ranges.