Winter is coming: Dusting of snow on Kaweka Range, but mild temperatures will return

A photo taken by HBT reader Jee Fan suggests snow fell on the Kaweka Ranges on Tuesday morning.

Winter is coming.

The tiniest icing-sugar-like dusting of snow fell on the Kaweka Range on Monday night as chilly overnight rain hit the plains below it.

Jee Fan captured the snow in a photo shot at 8.42am on Tuesday.

It’s not unusual to see snow in May, but MetService says it’s somewhat of a surprise, because actual temperatures didn’t fall below 7-8C in Napier and Hastings.

“I wouldn’t override the existence of it,” MetService meteorologist Surprise Mhlongo said, noting MetService has no way to measure where snow falls beyond observations on the ground.

“But I also can’t confirm it did happen.”

Mhlongo told Hawke’s Bay Today a few showers were recorded on Monday night into the morning of Tuesday, clearing by about 8am.

“While snow did not seem to be highly likely weather to occur when considering the freezing level on these days, the weather conditions and the freezing level were still close enough that it was not impossible to get a dusting of snow at the peak of the ranges,” Mhlongo said.

“Climatologically, snow showers may occur at any time of the year on the ranges surrounding Hawke’s Bay in deep cold southerly flow.”

Looking ahead, MetService is forecasting a mostly dry week for Hawke’s Bay, with mild, settled conditions.

“There may be a few odd showers, but nothing significant in terms of rain.”

Temperatures are expected to warm up a bit and be in the high teens, with Napier potentially reaching 20C and Hastings around 19C on days over the weekend.

Here’s the weather forecast for the Hawke’s Bay region from Thursday to Sunday:

• Thursday: Fine. Light winds, northwesterlies developing in the evening.
• Friday: Fine. Westerlies, easing.
• Saturday: Fine. Light winds.
• Sunday: Fine. Northwesterlies.