Cooler weather at right time

Hawke's Bay Fruitgrowers Association president Lesley Wilson.

Orchardists are welcoming cooler temperatures as autumn starts to settle in.

Hawke's Bay Fruitgrowers Association president Lesley Wilson said the colder weather was arriving at the right time, as the summerfruit season comes to an end and the kiwifruit season begins.

"Colder nights are fantastic, they bring the colour up in fruit," she said. "Warmer days and colder nights are very, very good.

"There won't be many orchardists unhappy with colder weather.

"It's a huge benefit for apples, pears and pipfruits."

With the late start of this year's apple season, Ms Wilson said orchardists would be enjoying the cooler weather for their harvest until the beginning of May.

"The colder weather is arriving at just the right time, orchardists don't want it hot."

Temperatures will be dropping this week with predicted highs in the low 20s, with the lowest overnight temperature at 12C.

Despite this, MetService meteorologist Emma Blades said the region would still be one of the warmest places in the country this week.

Today there would some morning cloud clearing, with some light winds and southerlies during the afternoon, and a high of 27C.

Tomorrow's weather will be similar, with a ridge of high pressure building over the country, bringing sunny skies to the Bay. However, Ms Blades said it would not be as warm, with a high of 23C.

Wednesday would be mainly fine but with isolated evening showers and southerly breezes.

On Thursday a weak front moving over the North Island would bring cloudy periods and isolated showers with light winds and a predicted high of 21C.

The light winds would continue on Friday with forecasted cloudy periods and a few showers mainly about the ranges, ending the working week with a high of 22C.