Weather: Warm temperatures then wild weather for South Island

Blenheim will take out the top spot for temperature with highs of 25C. Photo / 123RF

Parts of the South Island will hit 25C this week before wild weather sweeps across the island bringing wind and rain.

MetService has issued several weather warnings for the lower half of the South Island from this evening after a balmy day for Christchurch and much of the rest of the country.

Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington are all in store for a warmer day today as spring sets in, but come evening, people living in the South Island should batten the hatches.

Blenheim and Kaikōura will take out the top spot for temperature with highs of 25C and 24C respectively.

Spot the difference 🔎

Here's today's maximum temperatures versus tomorrow's maximums. For all of the locations on the map, temperatures are set to increase.

Dunedin should see the largest jump 🦘 from 16°C max today, to 23°C tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/FbAraDMP0h

— MetService (@MetService) September 18, 2023

In Christchurch, people can expect a beautiful day today with fine, clear weather and a high of 21C.

Further south, conditions start to sour.

From 8pm on Wednesday Westland south of Otira will be under a heavy rain warning with 250mm to 300mm forecast to fall in the ranges. The warning extends until 8pm on Friday.

In the Canterbury high country, strong winds will reach warning levels between 10am on Wednesday and 10pm on Thursday, with gusts of up to 140km/h in exposed areas - mostly on Thursday.

A moist northwesterly flow will bring warning amounts of rain for Fiordland and Westland, and there’s a high chance of severe gales for Canterbury, Otago, Southland and Fiordland.

Through Thursday, the front will move north bringing more wind and rain to Fiordland, Westland, and the headwaters of the Canterbury and Otago lakes and rivers.

Heavy snow could also affect higher parts of Otago, but MetService has low confidence of this coming to fruition.

Warnings and Watches are now in place for many areas of the South Island for heavy rain and strong wind 🟡🟠🌧💨

An active front is expected to move north over the South Island during Thursday and Friday, preceded by gale to severe gale northwesterlies. pic.twitter.com/52xkL86HAt

— MetService (@MetService) September 18, 2023

In Auckland conditions are slightly cloudy but warm, with a high of 18C today.

“There’s some cloud about, it’s okay at the moment but tomorrow is looking a bunch nicer,” MetService meteorologist Alwyn Bakker said.

“No cloud and a little warmer at 20.”

Mōrena, Aotearoa 🌄

The winds have eased off a bit, so instead of showing you a blank Severe Weather map, here's some 🌡 around the motu at 7am.

Kaikōura is leading at 13°C, with Auckland a hair behind at 12°C. Queenstown and Dunedin sit at the other end of the scale, with 3°C pic.twitter.com/tLSkVuysLu

— MetService (@MetService) September 18, 2023

Bakker said Wellington is also pleasant, with the exception of some possible showers in the Hutt Valley.

“We’re looking at a high of 15 today and then tomorrow there’s still some cloud, slightly higher at 16 and the winds are picking up a bit – just classic windy Welly.”

The balmy weather follows Aotearoa’s earliest 25C day in five years, according to Niwa weather.

On Sunday, Whakatu hit 26C and the Kyle St station in Christchurch tipped over 25C.