Unsettled weather but warmer week for Hawke's Bay

Despite snow on the Kaweka Range, the region is in for a relatively mild week. Photo / Paul Taylor

Hawke's Bay was treated to a touch of warm, spring weather at the weekend, but cooler temperatures settled in making for a chilly Monday.

While the current southerlies are cool, it's not going to stick around all week long, according to MetService meteorologist Andrew James.

Yesterday saw residents wrapping up in scarves, gloves and knits. The Hastings temperature plummeted to an icy 0.7C while Napier crawled to a chill 3.9C.

James said Tuesday morning would see similar frosty conditions, but as a drop of rain was due to settle in on Wednesday.

"It's going to be mostly fine for a couple of days until later on during Wednesday, there could be a little bit of light rain at night," James said.

"Expect frosts on the Monday and Tuesday, but then from Wednesday it's going to get a little warmer, but Friday is proving to be pretty frosty."

Although there would be some rain falling in the region, James said Hawke's Bay would remain "pretty dry".

"The front will pass over on the Wednesday then things turn more west to north-west, so Hawke's Bay will still be pretty sheltered from the bad weather.

"The rest of the country will see a lot of on again off again wet weather, but because it's coming in from the west, Hawke's Bay will remain pretty sheltered and will miss out on a lot of it.

James said the fronts bring "changeable conditions, so Kiwis should expect periods of rain as well as dry spells.

"Parents will be pleased that, although there is some wet weather during the school holidays, the kids will get a chance to be active outside from time to time. Thursday looks like the best day this week for most places," James continued.

These northwesterlies also bring warmer than average temperatures, but unsettled conditions continue into next week.

Hawke's Bay Regional Council's principal scientist climate and air, Kathleen Kozyniak, earlier said in a weak El Niño is still present.

"Whether it completely wanes beyond winter is uncertain," she said.

"During the next few months sea level pressures look lower than usual over the country and particularly to the east, while higher pressures sit well to the northwest.

"It sets up a mainly southwest wind flow which can bring drier weather, though with lower pressures potentially over our shores it could be an unsettled time with near normal rain and near normal temperatures. It might not just be a typical June but a typical winter overall."