Polar blast to hit long weekend – snow possible in Coromandel

Photo / Otago Daily Times

A Queen's Birthday Weekend polar blast is set to end autumn on a wintry note.

Weatherwatch.co.nz analyst Philip Duncan says it will be even colder than the bitter Antarctic blast that swept through last week.

"This one is coming from almost on the ice caps. So it's very, very close super chilled air. While it sounds very dramatic, the air itself is actually quite dry, so most places probably won't have a very wet weekend."

Roads across the Central Plateau and parts of the South Island are expected to see snow. Light snow could fall as far north as the Coromandel Peninsula and the Kaimai Ranges and Hunua Ranges.

Mr Duncan wants trampers to be aware that the temperatures will be very low.

"You're going to be dealing with alpine conditions with snow flurries possible on some of those peaks."

The forecasts are being welcomed by ski field operators, with another announcing it is expecting a cracker season. Cardrona Alpine Resort Spokeswoman Nadia Ellis says the cold weather over the past few weeks has delivered lots of snow.

"We haven't seen snow this deep at the ski area since probably about 1995. So if May's snow is anything to go by, we're setting up for a real record breaker."

Cardrona Alpine Resort opens on June 26.

Meanwhile June will be colder than average but despite the cold start to winter, temperatures for the season as a whole - June, July, and August - are likely to be about average, says Niwa's National Climate Centre (NIWA).

However, Canterbury and eastern Otago may experience below average temperatures.

The forecast does not rule out cold spells typical of winter, Niwa said.

Niwa was also anticipating more frosts than usual for the South Island and central North Island.

Rainfall is likely to be normal or above normal over the north and east of the North Island, and normal elsewhere except for normal or below normal in the west of the South Island.

- NEWSTALK ZB, NZPA