La Nina could extend summer swimming for a month

Photo / Herald on Sunday

Summer might be over, but a lingering La Nina pattern could give us another month's swimming.

Although autumn officially started on March 1, Weatherwatch forecaster Phillip Duncan said much of the North Island and a fair bit of the Mainland could expect an Indian summer.

He predicted warm weather during the day and pleasant swimming conditions until April.

"La Nina is still around and still strong, meaning we'll have hotter than average sea temperatures."

Auckland had experienced its hottest February and, despite Friday's heavy rain, could expect summer-like weather until April, although more cloudy conditions would come into the mix.

The top two-thirds of the country would have dry sunny weather while the coast of Otago and Fiordland would feel the first effects of increasing lows from the Southern Ocean.

He said New Zealand had felt the effects of five cyclones from the tropics this summer and another was possible before May.

NIWA forecaster James Renwick said it was unusual to get record high temperatures month after month and it was unlikely March would be Auckland's hottest on record.

He also said the country could expect fewer cold spells than usual. Temperatures would stay higher than average for two or three months.

"With La Nina's long tail, March and April should be mild and by winter it will be gone and New Zealand will be open to its usual mix of winter weather."