Te Ratonga Tirorangi/MetService is forecasting unsettled weather for Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, with showery conditions, thunderstorms, and snow all on the cards. Strong Wind Watches have been issued for parts of Te Ika-a-Māui/North Island and Wharekauri/Chatham Islands for Monday, and Road Snowfall Warnings for several passes and roads in Te Waipounamu/South Island for Tuesday and Wednesday.

MetService meteorologist Alwyn Bakker explains, “A trough of low pressure moves eastwards across Aotearoa today and tomorrow, bringing showers to the whole country. At higher levels of the atmosphere, particularly cold air will be making its way over Te Waipounamu. The cooling effect will be less noticeable at ground level, but the resulting atmospheric instability makes thunderstorms more likely, and snow is expected to three or four hundred meters in the south on Tuesday.”

The cooler air makes its way north as the week progresses, bringing frosty conditions to southern and central parts of Te Ika-a-Māui on Wednesday, as well as a dusting of snow for the central plateau and Taranaki Maunga (mountain). Meanwhile, a ridge of high pressure pushing its way in from Te Tai-o-Rēhua/Tasman Sea begins to clear out most of the showers from Te Waipounamu, but the frosty starts will remain into the weekend.

On Thursday, a low pressure centre approaches the country from the north, and may bring rain to northern and eastern parts of Te Ika-a-Māui.

“At this stage, the exact position of the low centre is uncertain, so as we progress through the week MetService advises keeping up to date with the latest forecasts,” states Bakker.

© Scoop Media