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The school holidays are set to conclude on a settled, sunny note this weekend despite a “rough end” to Anzac Day and a wild Friday.
Metservice meteorologist Gerard Bellam says frosty mornings are on the horizon as a ridge of high pressure comes over the country this weekend.
“The good news is the weekend will bring mostly fine and sunny conditions, but there will be quite a cold change coming through, bringing frost.”
Bellam said all of the South Island and the North Island up to Waikato, including sheltered parts of Coromandel, would wake to frosty conditions this weekend.
“Quite a lot of places in the South Island have 0C and below forecast, which will run through to Monday morning.”
Regions in the bottom of the North Island, like Masterton, are likely to see temperatures plunge to just 2C.
Bellam said to get to the sunnier conditions, Kiwis would have to “pay upfront” with a “bit of a rough patch” through the rest of Anzac Day and on Friday.
“There’s a cold, unstable shower cloud moving on to the South Island through this evening and into Friday... There’ll certainly be some snow lying on the hills around the South Island on Friday and into Saturday morning.”
Road Snowfall Warnings have been issued for five South Island Mountain Passes and Roads on Friday, with most concluding before midday, as that “cooler, unstable air” moves across the island.
❄ Road Snowfall Warnings
🚛 A change to southwesterly winds will push a much cooler airmass across our shores overnight and result in snow on some of the South Island's higher roads.
There is also a risk of thunderstorms in the southern corner of Westland, Fiordland at the south coast of the South Island tomorrow, with lightning and hail possible.
Thunderstorms may also be on the cards for the North Island from Waikato to the top of the island tomorrow, Bellam said.
Bellam added the next four days would see a “game of two halves” across the country.
He suggested the best locations for weather over the weekend would be around Queenstown and Wanaka.
“Those places would be quite spectacular because they’ll have the clear Saturday morning and people will be able to see the snow on the mountains, with lovely clear and dry air down there.”
Queenstown is likely to see a dusting of snow this weekend as clear skies prevail. Photo / George Heard
Bellam described this year’s Anzac Day weather as a “mixed bag”, with wet conditions on the West Coast, wind through Wellington and not-so-chilly temperatures everywhere else.
The country’s National Anzac Day Commemoration Service in Wellington was cancelled earlier today due to strong winds buffeting the capital.
The Ministry for Culture and Heritage said the “unfortunate” decision to cancel the 11am event at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park had been made for the health and safety of veterans, visitors and guests.
💨 Kei te pupuhi te hau, it's windy!
📊 Here are the stats on today's windiest places
🟠 The Orange Strong Wind Warning for the Canterbury High Country ends at 5pm this evening as northwesterlies ease
Castlepoint in Wairarapa recorded a maximum wind gust of 120km/h to 3pm today, followed by the Remutaka Hill Rd Summit and Kelburn in Wellington, recording 111km/h and 109km/h respectively.
Strong winds were also recorded in Central Otago and Canterbury.
“One of the exposed places in Canterbury High Country at about 2000m had a gust of 191km/h,” Bellam said.
Despite the wind, temperatures in the South Island soared above average for this time of year today. Timaru Airport recorded a high of 25C, 9C above its average temperature. Christchurch and Ashburton also recorded 24C, about 7C above average.
