Brief relief from the mid-winter blues is on the way, with temperatures forecast to reach 18˚C this weekend.

MetService meteorologist Alanna Burrows said a strong and moist northwest flow was expected to spread on to the South Island on Friday, bringing embedded fronts which would affect the southern regions on Saturday.

While it was expected to bring heavy rain to Fiordland and much of Southland on Saturday, Central Otago and Coastal Otago would be “unseasonably warm” for this time of year, she said.

Dunedin, Alexandra and Cromwell were expected to reach 17˚C, and Oamaru was expected to reach 18˚C.

“Interestingly, Oamaru is going to be about 18˚C, which is about 6˚C above average for this time of year.

“That’s unseasonably warm.”


Temperatures were expected to drop back for much of the southern regions on Sunday, except Mosgiel and Oamaru, where the mercury would remain on about 16˚C and 17˚C, respectively.

Then on Monday, winter temperatures would resume — possibly with some snow around most of Otago and Southland, she said.

“It looks like a cooler wind coming up from the southwest.

“I guess the warmer temperatures will be kind of like a brief respite before more cold conditions come in again.”

john.lewis@odt.co.nz