Fruitgrowers alert to damaging frost

Metservice has reported there is danger of frost this Saturday. Photo / File

Hawke's Bay's half billion dollar fruit industry could be in jeopardy if Saturday brings predicted frost across the region.

Southerlies set to develop later could bring the potential for frost to the Bay.

Hawke's Bay Fruitgrowers Association president Lesley Wilson said a frost this late could damage the fruitlets growing throughout the region.

"It's the one time a year to get income so growers are prepared," she said.

Ms Wilson said growers would be keeping an eye on the weather and if the frost did hit they would have irrigation and helicopters at their disposal to counter it.

Although a frost this late in the year was not ideal it was not unusual and Ms Wilson said the region could get frosts as late as December.

A Metservice duty meteorologist said the region would be looking at a fine afternoon today with lots of sunshine and very little wind.

He said this would continue into tomorrow morning with temperatures reaching the week's high of 23C.

A southerly change would then develop in the evening bringing rain which would ease off to showers on Thursday followed by some fine spells.

After the week's low of 4C overnight on Friday, southerlies would die out leading to a mostly sunny weekend with temperatures expected to reach 20C.

The southerlies would be especially strong around Cape Kidnappers, and snow could also settle on higher hills throughout the region.

A total of 25mm of rain is also expected over the week, though the Metservice duty meteorologist said the potential for more rainfall was there.