KEY POINTS:
Some people will be wondering if Autumn has started already as temperatures around the country have dropped significantly in recent days. Christchurch has been around 20 degrees cooler than during that heat wave a couple weeks ago... with other regions in the South Island only making it into the mid 20s yesterday.
In Auckland and other North Island regions it's not cold but that wind has been chilly. Daytime highs are lower and the nights have certainly been much cooler.
There is good news for those who love the heat....Summer is returning! A large high will today spread over the country and as it moves in it's pushing that cooler air out into the Pacific and replacing it with warmer air from our Aussie neighbours.
Yesterday Napier made it into the late 20s...as the week progresses those late 20s will return to several regions across New Zealand with temperatures in the mid 20s everywhere else.
Plenty of sun rolling in too for those holiday spots in the north of both islands.
As far as rain is concerned it's going to be a dry week. During my weekly Monday interview on Radio Sport's Farming Show we discussed the nation's current dry spots - mostly southern Hawkes Bay, northern Wairarapa and north'west Canterbury/Marlborough. Those regions aren't likely to see any significant rain over the coming days...maybe even weeks. It's a warning that we shouldn't get complacent about the weather... this summer, in my view, has been a "healthy" one so far...a good mix of rain and sun helping out the farmers yet still treating most holidaymakers. In early December I wrote about how we're getting roughly one rain bearing front a week...that's starting to slow down a bit as we head into the hottest part of Summer...and if those fronts are coming from the south west they're unlikely to bring good rainfalls to Waikato, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa, Marlborough and inland/northern Canterbury...those that need it most.
The farms and water tanks might start to dry out over the next 6 weeks...but the one thing that favours good rainfall will be sub-tropical lows - in which we have an increased risk of receiving. Until then, holidaymakers can enjoy the hot summer sun as it makes a comeback...starting today!
