Covering period of Monday 24th - Friday 28th November

Key points
• After a brief break, warm and muggy conditions return this week
• Maximum temperatures swing back to the 20s for most, approaching 30°C in Canterbury 
• The South Island sees wet and windy weather Wednesday and Thursday
• The North Island turns unsettled on Friday

The final week of spring brings a mix of weather, from a cool start to a warm and muggy finish, with several bouts of rain in between. MetService is forecasting a series of weather systems to move through: two from the Tasman Sea on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by one affecting the North Island on Friday. It all adds up to a changeable week to round off what has been a similarly changeable season.

North Island
Warm and muggy conditions make a quick return for the North Island. After a cooler start today (Monday), temperatures climb again from Tuesday, with daytime highs in the 20s expected from Northland right through to Wellington. Nights will feel warm too, with muggy, mid-to-high-teen temperatures from Wednesday.

Most places will see showers at times, especially on Friday, which is shaping up to be the most unsettled day of the week with the chance of thunderstorms.

MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane says, “This will be a good week to keep up with your local day-to-day forecast and an eye on our rain radars within our app and website. There’ll be plenty of dry breaks, but those showers could catch people off guard.”

South Island
The South Island, on the other hand, sees more than a few showers this week as two systems bring wet and windy weather on Wednesday and Thursday. The first wave moves in early Wednesday, with possible heavy rain for the ranges of Tasman, the West Coast Region and Fiordland. A Watch for Heavy Rain is in place for the ranges of Westland, and heavier falls may spill over into the Canterbury High Country near the Southern Alps. The next wave arrives on Thursday, bringing even larger rainfall totals for similar areas.

Northerly winds will also be felt markedly over the South Island this week, mainly on Wednesday and Thursday where speeds may approach severe gale in exposed places.

“Mid-week will be the time to plan for in the South Island. Additional Watches or Warnings may be issued, so keep an eye on metservice.com in the coming days,” Makgabutlane advises.

Warm conditions come with these northerlies. After today’s cooler spell, temperatures rebound quickly, with parts of Canterbury climbing towards 30°C on Wednesday and Thursday. And with warm nights also on the way, MetService Heat Alerts may be needed.

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