A Taste of Autumn

28-Feb-2006

A Taste of Autumn

MetService meteorologists are forecasting that the next cold front arriving over the South Island on Wednesday will be cold enough to bring hail to the east and some snow to hills in the south.

"March is starting with an early taste of autumn," commented MetService Weather Ambassador Bob McDavitt. "The summer anticyclones that have dominated our February weather are being replaced by a few days of southerly conditions. Westport is now short of water so will welcome the rain forecast for Wednesday, but this will be followed by more dry weather later in the week."

February wasn't all fine and dry. There were some days with intense rain, such as on Friday 10th when flash-flooding closed roads at Matata, Rotoma, Levin and Lower Hutt. A cold front in the last week of February brought some snow to the southern hills.

The first cold southerlies of March are forecast to reach the North Island on Thursday and develop into gales between Banks Peninsular and Wairarapa, building heavy swells on Friday night and Saturday especially through Cook Strait. High tides are extreme this week so the combined conditions of wind, sea and swell may bring problems to boaties, challenges to surfers, and hazardous conditions to drivers on coastal roads.

ENDS

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