Autumnal Change in the Air

Autumnal Change in the Air
Monday 11 April 2016

Changeable autumnal conditions affect the country this week. A trough brings wind and rain for the first half of the week, followed by fine but cool weather. Autumn typically means fast moving fronts and successive warmer and cooler spells. This week is no exception as another band of moisture looks set to reach the lower South Island towards the end of the weekend.

Monday and Tuesday are peppered with warnings for heavy rain and severe northwesterly gales in western and inland parts of the lower South Island. There is also a watch in place for heavy rain spreading north to the Tararua Ranges and Mt Taranaki, and for strong winds whipping through Wellington. By Wednesday the ridge starts spreading in from the west, bringing a marked drop in temperatures and a dusting of snow to the mountains. Christchurch is looking at a balmy 23 degrees today, dropping to 10C overnight, warmed by the northwesterlies. By Wednesday the cooler southerlies drop the Wednesday overnight temperatures down to around 5 degrees in Christchurch, 10 degrees in Wellington and 11 degrees in Auckland.

“This week is a real mixed bag”, said meteorologist Tom Adams, “while there will be plenty of fine weather between the fronts, it will pay dividends to check the forecast before heading out. The weather can change rapidly any time of year, but autumn is typically a very changeable season”.

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