Northwesterly gales and heavy rain will move across the country on Monday, MetService said. Photo: Unsplash / Erik Witsoe
There will be a brief reprieve from the recent unsettled weather later this week, before business-as-usual resumes with another low on the way.
Northwesterly gales and heavy rain will move across the country on Monday, MetService said, before Tuesday brings us cold air, snow and possible thunderstorms.
Around 15-20cm of snow was possible in Milford Sound, and a "couple of centimetres" on Lindis Pass and Crown Range Road.
"There is also risk of some blustery thunderstorms across the South Island and lower North Island caused by atmospheric instability, with Canterbury also having risk of hail Tuesday afternoon," MetService forecast.
Several official watches and warnings were in place. In the North Island, a strong wind watch was in place for Wairarapa and Wellington on Monday, until 1am Tuesday morning.
In the South Island, a strong wind watch covered Inland Marlborough about the Kaikoura ranges, the Canterbury foothills and High Country, while heavy rain watches were in place for the Westland ranges and Fiordland (north of George Sound).
Road snowfall warnings were put in for Milford Road (SH94) and Crown Range Road covering Monday evening through to Tuesday afternoon/evening, and Lindis Pass (SH8) from midday Tuesday.
By Wednesday, things should settle "due to high pressure from the Tasman Sea", MetService said.
"However, a strong northwest wind around the southwestern corner of the South Island brings rain to Fiordland. Southern Westland and coastal Southland get a bit of the wet weather as well on Thursday."
From there the outlook is less certain, MetService meteorologist Lewis Ferris said.
"But there's a decent risk of wet and windy weather for parts of the country due to a low-pressure system approaching from the Tasman Sea. So, make sure to keep up with the latest forecasts, if you're making any weekend plans."
Aotearoa's recent winter was the third-warmest on record.
