Temperatures are about to drop this week as New Zealand is in for the first big wintry blast of 2022. Video / Weather Watch
Temperatures are set to tumble by the end of the week as a cold front from Antarctica makes its way towards New Zealand.
WeatherWatch reported that the cold surge will see daytime highs in parts of the South Island reach only a maximum of 5C, and that there may evenbe slight snowfall in the lower part of the island.
The cold front would start to be felt by Thursday, and patches of rain would also be seen, but the chilling temperatures wouldn't really kick in until Friday and would last through to Sunday.
The southerly is followed by a high-pressure system which means the country's first winter cold snap will be brief and temperatures would warm up again at the end of the weekend.
This comes as head weather analyst of WeatherWatch, Phillip Duncan, says most places around the country are currently experiencing warmer than average temperatures.
Today, temperatures at either end of the country differed as two different westerlies flowed over each island.
Sub-tropic westerly wind over the North Island has brought humidity and warmer weather, while sub-Antarctic westerly wind has brought cold and dry air to the South Island.
This comes after MetService yesterday forecast warm temperatures for most regions across the country, especially overnight with some places expecting minimums of around 9C above average.
