A great start to spring

Lambs are arriving now. Photo / APN

Spring has arrived earlier with temperatures over the next week expected to reach into the 20s in some parts of the country.

With a month to go before spring officially starts, weather patterns similar to a La Nina are warming things up.

"We're definitely in spring now, with highs hitting around 17 and 18C," weather expert Philip Duncan said yesterday. "It's unofficially officially spring."

Over the next week temperatures in Northland will reach into the 20s. Auckland will reach 16-17C; Bay of Plenty, 20C; Waikato15-16C; and Hawke's Bay 20C. Normally at this time of the year Northland and Auckland would be hitting 8-12C; Bay of Plenty 6-8C; and Hawke's Bay 8-10C.

But Met Service has released heavy rain warnings for parts of the country over the next few days, including Auckland.

Gale force winds are predicted for eastern areas but the weather will still be warm.

Parts of New Zealand are warmer, drier and sunnier than this time last year because of a localised weather pattern which has forced the cold southerly winds over the Chatham Islands.

The warmer weather is attributed to La Nina conditions. The northern part of New Zealand is getting northerly winds, rain is dominating parts of the South Island, while on the West Coast of the South Island it has been warm and dry.

Farmers are looking forward to spring arriving earlier. During May and June they had an equivalent of half a year's rainfall. Warmer conditions now were giving good pasture growth.

"It's a great start and is most important because when the cows start well after they calve they have greater productive potential and reproductive potential," said Pukekohe farmer Wendy Clark.

"A good spring is a wonderful thing. The good thing about this spring is that we have a spell of dry weather followed by some rain, which is easier to manage."

The weather pattern causing this has also made for a "record challenging number of days with frosts" in parts of Otago.

Unusually there has not been any stormy weather accompanying it.

"This weather pattern has caused a wall of high air pressure over the South Island which has been there for some time, stopping the southerlies from Antarctica," said Duncan.

Met Service forecaster Bob McDavitt said this weather pattern means New Zealand can expect the same, to slightly above, temperatures.