KEY POINTS:
Discussion
Boy what a hot day yesterday was!! Some private weather stations in Christchurch measured a high of close to 37 degrees - even though the "official" high was 33. That shows the difference between sitting in a field at the airport and sitting in your backyard
in town!!
Another scorcher is on the way today with temperatures again reaching around, or close to, 30 along the nation's east coast. A large high is being squeezed top and bottom by two seperate lows and that means hot nor'westers in the South and gradual easterlies developing in the far north within the next 24 hours.
Thunderstorms?
Well despite the MetService Thunderstorm Outlook yesterday all was quiet along the South Island's eastern front. Disappointing for some - but great news for others who have had perhaps had enough damaging afternoon hailstorms lately!!
Fronts approaching:
The low in the Southern Ocean is doing a pretty good job at advancing on the nation's summery high pressure system currently over us. That means heavy rain along the West Coast (see below) and rain or showers for Dunedin and Otago. Conditions should be dry everywhere else.
Sun?
Oh yes - lots of it today!! Pretty much sunny everywhere but some predictable coastal cloud in the west (like Auckland) and of course the South Island's west and south coasts... clouds are expected to move across eastern areas of the South Island later in the day as that front heads north.
2 sets of Severe Weather?
1) A deep low is going to develop north of New Zealand, well actually north east of New Zealand, during today. The weather data we look at has been changing daily for 7 days now...it seems confident that showers and wind will affect northern, and particularly north eastern parts of the North Island between Saturday and Monday...so while the low will track east of us I doubt anything severe will come from it...but it will affect our weather. HOWEVER - it may dangerous seas in the east of the country over the next several days. There may be an increase in rips and bigger swells... and with so many recent water tragedies I hope those swimming or anyone out on the water makes sure they're up to date with the latest marine forecast. Offshore lows can be very dangerous in Summer - it might be sunny and calm on the beach but out to sea that deep low could be creating dangerous rips.
2) South Island's West Coast. Normally I stay clear of talking about rain warnings issued for our national rain forecast - Fiordland. I spoke on Newstalk ZB this morning where we discussed how today's rain warnings could be an issue for trampers. After so much rain for the West Coast recently and with plenty of heavy rain expected in such a short time today, trampers and holidaymakers along the South Island's West Coast should avoid streams, rivers and any tracks that could lead to difficultly from torrential rain.
Next Update: Friday morning.
- Philip Duncan
Photo: Hot Water Beach. Photo / Jason Dorday