Changeable weather for work week & Xmas looking promising - Sunday 18 December 2016

MetService News Release
Sunday 18 December 2016

A a front brought wet weather to the North and South Island in the middle of last week, before a ridge made its presence known, bringing blue skies and sun to most places to kick off the weekend. Today a front affects the South Island, with Severe Weather Warnings and Watches in place for heavy rain and west or northwest gales. However, the North Island will escape the worst of it by the end of the weekend. Toasty temperatures are expected across the country today, with Napier City forecast to reach 31 degrees!

Tomorrow, the front moves onto the North Island in earnest, bringing a period of rain as it progresses north. Much of the South Island should be fine, apart from a few showers affecting the West Coast and far south. Tuesday should be a fine day across most of the country, apart from the odd shower affecting Northland and Fiordland.

A front moves up the country from Wednesday through to Friday, bringing a period of rain, especially in the west, and strong northwest winds. A southwest flow follows the front bringing showers to most places, before clearing Friday night.

"There is still a degree of uncertainty in the computer models regarding the Christmas weekend," explained MetService Meteorologist Ciaran Doolin. "However, the most likely scenario is for the southwest flow to persist, gradually easing into Christmas day as a ridge of high pressure builds. Mainly fine weather is expected for much of the country, apart from a few cloud periods and isolated showers, especially in the west."

"Tropical Depression TD04F, currently located approximately 375 km northwest of Nadi, Fiji, had previously been thought likely to intensify into a Tropical Cyclone, the first of the season," said Doolin. "However,it has now weakened somewhat and is moving into an area unfavourable for further development. The risk of it becoming a Tropical Cyclone is therefore low. However, it is still a deep depression and the Fiji Meteorological Service have heavy rain and flood warnings in place."

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