Cold Snap Did Not Disappoint

15 Mar

Winter came three months early for the South Island today as a cold front laced with rain, snow and cold temperatures progressed up the South Island. Christchurch saw temperatures hit 15 degrees before the cold and rain arrived around 12pm. Most of the east coast of the South Island hit their highest temperatures before 10am before temperatures took a massive dip to single digits. Snow lowered below the 700-800m level we forecasted, with snow flurries reported in Naseby located in Central Otago about 600m above sea level. The coldest major towns in the South Island were Wanaka, Dunedin and Timaru (see the temperature graphs below).

In the North Island, rain accumulation was the main event for most with Waikato, Southern Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Whanganui and Hawke’s Bay setting the records for the day (See the highest rain totals below). Rain set in at about 4am with the bulk of the precipitation clearing around 12pm. Another heavy rain band set in a few hours later but this time impacting Auckland, Northland and Northern Waikato and the Bay of Plenty. Rain totals did not reach our risk criteria as forecasted but still provided most places some eventful weather. A high pressure system move in over the coming days bringing a period of settled weather.

Wanaka