Frost Alert

Issued at 02:00pm 11-Sep-2006

Frost Alert

MetService meteorologists are forecasting moderate to severe frosts for several places on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Already on Monday morning Ashburton reported 8 degrees of ground frost and Christchurch and Paraparaumu reported a 5 degree frost.

"There's more to come", said MetService Weather Ambassador Bob McDavitt. "A large and slow-moving anticyclone in the Tasman Sea will keep a cool southwest flow over us this week and wherever this flow weakens overnight the cold air and clear skies will bring ideal frost making weather."

McDavitt added that a cold front will sweep past Otago and Southland on Tuesday and this cold air may help make Wednesday morning the frostiest of the week. "Horticulturalists everywhere from inland Otago to Bay of Plenty will need to be well braced to protect their tender new buds from these frosts."

After Wednesday the air flow is expected to swing from cold southwesterly to a mild westerly, ending this bout of frosts, but another anticyclone is likely to bring more frosts early next week.

MetService frost forecasts are available from the MetPhone Farm Info line and a detailed site list is on the Consumer Service web page at the www.metservice.com website.

ENDS

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