Cold blast: Where has our Spring gone?

Reporter·NZ Herald·

9 Oct, 2016 06:38 PM2 mins to read

Rain is expected in northern and eastern parts of the North Island today. Photo / Nick Reed

It will be a wet start to the week for the top of the North Island and eastern areas today, however, the rest of the country is expected to stay pretty dry.

The spring season is still at its changeable best with a cold, wet front set to hit the South Island overnight that will eventually, and slowly, make its way up to the North Island on Wednesday.

MetService duty meteorologist Mariken van Laanen says some high country areas of the South Island may have been surprised to see snow landing around them yesterday, however, she says it isn't unusual as we are still in the "early-ish" stages of spring.

As for today, the weather is looking good for all areas, apart from Northland and Auckland which will receive some showers, while those in Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne will get some rain.

Fiordland is also expected to get some rain later tonight.

Van Laanen says the rain isn't expected to go away anytime soon as a cold and wet front is set to hit Fiordland overnight so a heavy rain warning has been issued. The watch is also in place for Clutha and Southland.

"With the front tomorrow it's quite slow moving, so it just moves about halfway up the South Island so that will bring some heavy rain to the west and scattered showers to the east."

Tomorrow, showers are expected to patter the North Island ahead of the front which hits on Wednesday.

However, she said the front will have weakened by Wednesday, bringing showers to most of the North Island and rain in most western areas.

And the wet weather isn't expected to vanish anytime quickly, with rain or showers likely later in the week.