The city enjoyed temperatures in the mid teens and full sun for much of yesterday - a recipe summery enough to get at least some of the locals into the water.
Ryan Tupuhi took his son Rapson and friend Josh Rose (both 13), down to St Kilda Beach yesterday for a swim and bodyboard, because the boys demanded it.
''They said they wanted to go for a swim, so I thought, all right, I'll get them out of the house while the sun's shining.
''You don't get too many days like this in winter.''
It was the first time the two Bayfield High School pupils had hit the water since summer, Mr Tupuhi said, with books, movies, and all other home based activities being on high rotation during the ''rubbish winter''.
And although the boys called the water ''very, very cold'' - the Dunedin sea temperature was a reported 8.7degC - things are set to get worse before they get better.
Today's mild and sunny weather would be replaced by a southwesterly front tomorrow night, bringing strong winds, rain, and overnight air temperatures around 1degC-2degC for the city, MetService meteorologist Karl Loots said yesterday.
Wednesday was expected to be settled, but more bad weather was due to arrive by Thursday night, he said.
Winter was ''unfortunately not'' over for the South.
And it appears spring will bring little relief.
The ''major El Nino in play'' at the moment would be felt throughout spring, MetService meteorologist Georgina Griffiths said.
''A textbook El Nino spring is much colder than usual, with frequent, stormy, southwesterlies across the country.''
