New Zealanders are 'freezing'

I don't know about you but I'm pretty certain my next power bill will be a big one. While many Aucklanders experienced overnight lows between -3 and +1 last week our called 'sub-tropical housing' certainly was obvious as my friend's Facebook updates went from "Sigh, only half way through the working week" to "I AM FREEZING!!!". In fact on the Wednesday night when I logged on to Facebook about 10 of the recent 12 updates were along the lines of how cold people were... it was the same over Queens Birthday weekend too.

This wasn't just in Auckland either - messages from Gisborne, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch. You get the picture... the last few weeks across New Zealand have been freezing. Last Friday's remarkable -3 in Auckland while most of the South Island was several degrees above freezing showed that indeed something was up.

Well this morning things have gone back to normal. Big frosts in places that should have them. -5 in Taupo, -3 in parts of Taranaki, Horowhenua, frosts around Wellington and throughout Central Otago and Southland - Lumsden on -6 this morning.

But there's been a real contrast today...temperatures already around 14 or 15 as of 7am in Northland. Many other places, like Auckland, in the upper single digits.

This week sees a very different weather pattern - a noticeably warmer one. Now while the daytime highs won't be huge the overnight lows will be well up on last week. Perhaps 10 to 15 degrees warmer for many. With more cloud cover your house might not be so warm when you get home from work - or if you're someone who works from home. In fact cloudy weeks in winter can be horrible for anyone who spends most of their time at home. Wind chill doesn't really impact the warming of your home... if it's sunny outside then chances are that warm sunlight coming through the windows will make for quite a toasty room or even house by the end of the day. Remove that sun and suddenly indoors feels gloomy and cold.

This system coming in will be slowed down by the high in the east....so nor'easters will build over much of the country in the next 24 hours. Gales have already started in Cape Reinga.

Rain, heavy at times, is more than likely for many western and northern facing regions. Because the system is moving in from the west, but winds will come in from the north east, it's more than likely that all of New Zealand will be affected by this system... even if it's just thick clouds or nor'easters.

By Wednesday I'd expect the low to the west to be better developed. There's plenty of lightning between New Zealand and Australia so definitely the potential for a few rumbles here later in the week and some heavy falls. I'll have all the latest info on Wednesday. Right, now I'm off to update my Facebook status....hmm...I'll settle for this one: "Phil agrees with Jade... Labour Weekend sounds good....just under half a year to go...sigh".

Philip Duncan

Pictured above: Ngauruhoe and Tongariro. Photo / Sarah Ivey