Warmer temperatures but not all clear skies with the High

MetService News Release
20 November 2017

Warmer temperatures but not all clear skies with the High

This is the second week that the country will be dominated by high pressure, bringing settled conditions with no severe weather expected.

However, this doesn’t mean conditions will be completely dry. MetService meteorologist Gerrit Keyser said, “Cloud and on-and-off drizzle are forecast for coastal areas, with afternoon showers over some inland parts of the country.”

“Temperatures are expected to soar during the latter part of the week, with central Otago expected to reach the high 20s, Wanaka is 28°C by mid-week, but seldom will the entire country be without cloud. The east coast of the South Island in particular could experience overcast skies and cooler conditions for much of the week,” he added.

This image shows a hand-drawn surface analysis overlaid on a satellite image. It depicts high pressure building over the South Island today, but extensive cloud in the east where winds are from the south.

Spring is known for its variability and this month has been a classic example, where the weather goes from one extreme to the next. At the beginning of November, a few low-pressure features swept over the country bringing heavy rain and strong wind, but in the last two weeks we’ve seen the opposite, with high pressure features making their presence felt.

Keyser commented, “With high pressure you usually expect warm and clear weather, but this week there is quite a bit of moisture trapped under the high, which means cloudy conditions for some areas. Meteorologists typically call this a ‘dirty high’.”

With temperatures peaking during the latter part of the week, outdoor events this coming weekend – such as the Taupo Cycle Challenge, the Rugby League World Cup semi-final in Auckland and Wellington’s A Very Welly Christmas – are set for warm conditions.

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