NZ temperatures set to soar this weekend as 'shipment of warmth' arrives
Thursday, 21 November 2019
A 'shipment of warmth' is heading across the Tasman Sea from Australia and will arrive just in time for the weekend.
Niwa said a travelling mass of hot air would bring warm temperatures to parts of the country for most of the weekend and into Monday.
MetService meteorologist Andrew James said the ridge would bring clear skies and warm temperatures for many, but not everyone.
On Thursday, the majority of the North Island was forecast to have fine weather, with some isolated showers in Hawke's Bay and Gisborne.
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A high of 18C was forecast for Auckland and 17C in Wellington.
The top and eastern parts of the South Island would also have fine weather on Thursday, with some morning showers in Clutha and evening rain developing Otago.
After a couple of thunderous days in Christchurch, the garden city would have a fine, settled day with a high of 21C on Thursday. While a high of 18C was also forecast in Dunedin.
Rain would linger about the Buller and Westland areas, with scattered showers also on the cards for Southland and Fiordland.
But thanks to the hot air sweeping across the Tasman, some warmer than average temperatures were expected to soar on Friday, and into the weekend.
WEEKEND WEATHER
On Friday, South Island towns such as Blenheim, Christchurch and Dunedin would have warm, fine days with 27C and 26C forecast retrospectively.
James said that fine weather would then move across the North Island on Saturday, bringing higher than average temperatures to Taumarunui (28C) and Rotorua (27C).
But Sunday was looking to be a knockout day for many. 'Blenheim might even crack 30C on Sunday,' James said.
Some other fine hotspots on Sunday included: Ashburton (27C), Martinborough (27C), Hastings (27C), Gisborne (26C), and Tauranga (26C).
Despite the warmer than average temperatures expected over the weekend, some places would miss out on the fine weather, James said.
'There are still a couple of fronts around the edges.'
There was a possibility west to northwest gales could become severe over parts of Fiordland, Southland, Otago and Canterbury on Friday, MetService warns.
On Saturday and Sunday, Fiordland and the West Coast of the South Island would see showers, and temperatures lingering in the late teens.
The Milford Sound would get some possible heavy rain on Saturday, and Invercargill would also have some showers, with a high of 18C expected over the weekend.
AUSSIE FIRES ONGOING
The hot air mass sweeping across the Tasman Sea steams from Australia.
The bushfires are still raging on Australia's east coast. Hot 40C or higher temperatures and strong winds have made for catastrophic fire danger conditions this week, as thousands of firefighters battle the blazes.
The state of New South Wales has been suffering from massive wildfires for over two weeks.
On Thursday, the state of Victoria issued a Code Red - its highest bushfire warning level and urged residents to leave their homes, The Age reported.
The region now faces the worst fire conditions its seen in the past 10 years.