Sunday had a forecast of morning fog, fine conditions for the rest of the day and northeasterlies from the morning.
MetServce meteorologist Lewis Ferris said, “For most of the country, Sunday will look much the same as Saturday.
“But people north of Waikato will need to keep an eye on the forecast as there is a band of moisture hanging around which could mean a soggy day for some,” Ferris said.
Sunday around the rest of the country would be mostly sunny, with some cloud and possible showers in Wellington, and some morning cloud clearing in Christchurch and Dunedin.
From Monday, Auckland should start the day with fine conditions, but a few showers could develop in the afternoon. Light southerly winds could set in from the evening.
Tuesday and Wednesday should see similar weather, with showers possible and fresh winds in the morning. MetService forecasted fine skies for Thursday and Friday.
Looking further ahead into May, MetService predicted the next fortnight would remain relatively dry and cold. Rainfall rates could return to normal in the second half of the month as westerly fronts return.
Cool southwesterly winds have been a hallmark of an all-but-faded El Nino climate pattern, which last month delivered New Zealand’s coldest March in more than a decade.
While the event has been officially declared over, its influences were likely to linger through a colder-than-average May.
“Broadly speaking, it’s going to be a continuation of what we’ve experienced over autumn,” Niwa forecaster Ben Noll said.
“There’ll be some nights and mornings that feel pretty darn chilly, but given our recent pattern, I don’t think it’ll be anything shocking.”
Another major contributor to a colder May would be plenty of high pressure predicted to develop around New Zealand.
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
