WIRES:

MetService forecasts an unseasonable frost

Wednesday, 24 March 2004, 1:05 pm
Press Release: MetService

MetService meteorologists have added the word "frosty" to their forecasts for southern areas on Thursday morning. The overnight air temperature for Hanmer, Wanaka, and Queenstown is forecast to drop to zero, and in Alexandra it is forecast to drop to minus one.

"It's going to be a cold night", commented MetService Weather Ambassador, Bob McDavitt. "Last night's southerly brought with it some snow down to the 500 metre altitude near Clinton in Southland. Clearing skies and dying winds tonight are likely to allow light ground frosts to form over inland parts of Marlborough and many parts of Canterbury, along with moderate frosts in Central Otago."

Although this frost is expected to be brief and not very severe, growers are unaccustomed to having one like this so early during the harvest season.

Westerly winds are forecast to return to southern areas on Friday, but another cold change is expected over the weekend.

ENDS

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