A dry run into Autumn

MetService News Release
Thursday 28th February, 2019

A dry run into Autumn

Metservice is forecasting a dry first weekend of Autumn for most New Zealanders as a ridge of high pressure builds over the country during Friday and persists well into next week.

“There’s a few showers lingering about the northern, eastern and southern extremities on Friday,’ says MetService Meteorologist Rob Kerr, “But once we get into Saturday, it’s just Northern Hawkes Bay and Gisborne getting any significant shower activity, and even those areas will be dry by late Sunday morning.”

With clear skies and light winds, expect cool mornings right through the weekend and possibly a light frost Friday morning in a few inland locations. Daytime high temperatures will be over 20°C for most places on Friday and Saturday, then everywhere gets into the 20’s on Sunday, with a couple of towns on both Islands seeing 27 or 28°C.

Heads up to the hardcore taking on the Ironman New Zealand in Taupo on Saturday, where a fine day with southeast breezes will start a little cool at 7°C, before warming to 21°C in the afternoon. Those heading to see Eminem in Wellington on Saturday will be unaffected by the weather, as even the Capital’s infamous wind is having a day off. Meanwhile, the Black Caps can set about Bangladesh in Hamilton this weekend, confident that rain will not stop play.

Looking across the Pacific region, we have Tropical Cyclone Pola heading southwards away from Tonga today, and into MetService’ area of responsibility south of 25°S likely by midday Friday. At that time, we will take over from Fiji Met Service as the primary source of information regarding track, position and any warnings associated with TC Pola. Not long after we take the reins, TC Pola is expected to make a sharp turn eastwards, meaning the North and South Islands of New Zealand will not be affected.

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