Weekend weather: Sun, frost, clear sky on way amid high pressure system

Morning frost throughout New Zealand on Saturday is forecast to be replaced with clear blue skies and sunshine. Photo / Jason Oxenham

As Kiwis wake to a frosty Saturday morning, clearer skies are on the horizon as a ridge of high pressure is set to bring lighter winds and plenty of sun.

However, those clearer skies will mean some bitter morning temperatures. Central parts of the North Island are advised to brace for temperates as low as -3C.

MetService meteorologist Clare O’Connor says with the exception of a few showers about western parts of Aotearoa, Saturday will be a dry, blue-sky day – and it’ll be much the same on Sunday.

No, there has not been an error in the rain accumulation map below 🧐

High pressure dominates this weekend bringing dry weather and plenty of sun NZ, only the west of the South Island will see some showers

For more details on the weather ahead at https://t.co/hnwmGxCYeR pic.twitter.com/PBg3YC1ocq

— MetService (@MetService) July 28, 2023

There are no severe weather watches or warnings in place over New Zealand throughout the weekend.

A weak trough is expected to move up the west coast of the South Island on Sunday morning, but there’s very little oomph behind it, says O’Connor.

“Over in the east, it’ll be a Dunner stunner ahead of the Football Ferns final group match on Sunday night,” she said.

Meanwhile, after an extremely soggy start to 2023, New Zealand’s north can expect a welcome shift to generally drier conditions over the next three months – courtesy of a fast-forming El Nino.

Experts predict an ocean-atmosphere “coupling” over coming months will finally bring New Zealand El Nino’s full flavours – marking a distinct change from a warm-and-wet La Nina regime that’s long blighted the north.

Source / Niwa

Niwa’s newly released climate outlook for the August to October period shows below-normal rainfall for the north of the North Island, while the west of the North Island and east of the South Island are expected to have near-normal levels.

Temperature-wise, Niwa expects varying trends across New Zealand, with northern regions equally likely to feel near or above-average conditions.

In all other regions, temperatures are more likely to be above average, as westerly winds carry warm air from Australia into the region at times.

Climate outlook for Aug-Oct 2023 🌱

🥶 Rather chilly start to Aug

☀️ High pressure + drier weather for many regions in the 2nd week of Aug

🍃 El Niño's westerlies frequent & strong in late Aug & Sep-Oct - wetter southwest, drier northeast

🌡️ Occasional heat from Australia pic.twitter.com/79Wfwsyky0

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) July 28, 2023