Rain gets back to work after a sunny Labour Weekend

The rain gets back to work after a sunny Labour Weekend.

Labour weekend can often be a mixed bag, but in 2016 most of New Zealand struck it lucky with warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine. Several towns on both islands topped twenty degrees, with Alexandra and Dunedin hitting 21 degrees on Saturday and Kawerau and Wainuiomata also warming beyond 21 degrees on Sunday.

In contrast, Monday started off with a blanket of cloud over the country ahead of a weather system moving in from the Tasman Sea. Rain is expected to get heavier on the South Island West Coast this afternoon, with a watch in force for southern Westland where accumulations of up to 70mm in 12 hours are possible between this evening and Tuesday morning. The rain makes it into the Bay of Plenty and the central plateau tonight, and spreads into most parts through Tuesday. Eastern areas will get the rain last, with a moderate chance of thunderstorms over Otago from Tuesday afternoon and some heavy falls there. The chart below shows what time of day different areas are likely to first receive over 1mm of rain tomorrow. Note that in some places, especially in the east, rainfall will be short-lived.

This chart shows the expected onset time of rain on Tuesday 25th October. Note that duration and quantity are not shown, and will vary, with less rain expected in the east.

“Warm temperatures, about average for the time of year, are expected to continue for the next week or so”, said meteorologist Tom Adams. “The classic spring combination of warmer air and fast moving fronts, followed by a day or two of sun, creates great growing conditions for farmers and gardeners alike”.

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