Our last long weekend in almost half a year is approaching – and typically Queens Birthday Weekend in New Zealand looks a little unsettled – but by no means is it a write off. There are rain and shower risks – mostly in Northland and our western coastline. Here’s a look at the best forecasts out at the moment – and we’ll fine tune this again on Friday with the very latest for the long weekend.
Rain will continue throughout the long weekend, but the country will at least be a little warmer, weather services predict.
MetService meteorologist John Law said there would be "a bit of a change" in the weather for Queen's Birthday weekend, following more cold nights tomorrow and Thursday.
As a northwesterly wind moves through on Friday morning, temperatures should rise but with it comes rain.
"Sadly it's not looking like the best of the weather but at least our temperatures will rise a little," said Mr Law.
Weather Watch said the forecast could be changeable and advised people to keep an eye on weather updates.
What's happening today?
South Islanders will have some reprieve from the cold winds, rain and snow that lashed regions yesterday but are warned to expect more days like that this winter.
Philip Duncan of WeatherWatch said show showers were expected to ease and temperatures were should rise slightly.
"It will be hard to notice but it will be a degree or two warmer today and it doesn't sound like much, and most people won't notice it, but it makes a big difference on the level of snow falls so the snow levels are going to lift up a bit today," Mr Duncan said.
Snow showers are expected to lift up higher into the mountains and hills and should also be more limited to higher areas and less on farms and population and urban areas. Snow clouds are also expected to dry up as the day goes on.
"A change in air flow is expect and it is just enough to warm it up," Mr Duncan said.
However, this is just the beginning as El Nino is expected to bring more days like yesterday.
Dunedin could be hit by as many as eight significant snowfalls this winter as El Nino looks set to bring a raft of polar-chilled southwesterlies to the city.
A storm blasting Antarctic weather over Otago closed roads, cut power and blanketed towns in snow yesterday.
The Antarctic blast closed the main northern route into Dunedin until lunchtime as authorities waited for snow and ice to clear.
Inland Otago roads were treacherous, with warnings in place on main routes throughout the day.
With temperatures hovering in the low single digits, electricity workers across the region battled to restore power after it was cut by snow and wind in parts of Dunedin and Central Otago.
The most dramatic incident was in Tainui in Dunedin where a power transformer exploded ''with a sound like a bomb'' after being hit by lightning about 5am.
In neighbouring St Kilda, high winds toppled a large brick chimney at Forbury Park raceway.
Dunedin hydrologist Dave Stewart said while the city's snow was ''seasonally normal'', he warned this winter's expected El Nino weather pattern could lead to a far higher incidence of snow days than what Dunedin had experienced in recent years.
An El Nino weather pattern tended to bring increased southwesterlies from the polar regions, which were likely to lead to the increased snowfall across the city, he said.
MetService meteorologist Georgina Griffiths said predicting snow days was difficult.
A combination of moisture, cold temperatures and uplift was needed, and could not be predicted accurately.
But she too said the South was likely to experience colder-than-normal weather during the coming winter months.
El Nino's main impact was expected in spring, with significantly colder temperatures in the South than those experienced over the past few years, she said.
Thunderstorms running up the east coast brought lightning strikes, with 13 recorded strikes on the Otago Peninsula between Sunday evening and noon yesterday.
Aurora Energy said lightning damage to transformers caused power cuts in Musselburgh.
Severe winds downed lines in Port Chalmers and on the Otago Peninsula.
Heavy snow caused power outages in Central Otago.
Power had been restored to most affected parts yesterday.
Mr Stewart said Dunedin's roads and city could have been hit far harder than they were.
An unexpected temperature rise early yesterday meant Dunedin's snowfall was considerably less than expected, much of it washed away by rain.
While snow began falling steadily in Dunedin about 8pm on Sunday, settling at sea level by 11pm, the forecast heavy snowfall never eventuated as temperatures rose to about 3degC during the night.
MetService meteorologist John Law said elevated areas had the heaviest snowfalls, with 25cm at Clarks Junction between Sunday evening and noon yesterday. Dunedin's hill suburbs received 10cm of snow, with just 3cm at sea level.
State Highway 87 between Outram and Kyeburn remained closed last night.
Several Dunedin bus routes were disrupted.
- With additional reporting from the Otago Daily Times
