Parts of the South Island will hit temperatures of 25C this week before wild weather sweeps across the island, bringing wind and rain.
MetService has issued several weather warnings for the lower half of the South Island from this evening after a balmy day for Christchurch and much of the rest of the country.
Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington are all in store for a warmer day today as spring sets in, but come evening, people living in the South Island should batten down the hatches.
Blenheim and Kaikōura will take out the top spot for temperature with highs of 25C and 24C respectively.
In Christchurch, people can expect a beautiful day today with fine, clear weather and a high of 21C.
Further south, conditions start to sour.
From 8pm on Wednesday, Westland south of Otira will be under a heavy rain warning with 250mm to 300mm forecast to fall in the ranges. The warning extends until 8pm on Friday.
In the Canterbury high country, strong winds will reach warning levels between 10am on Wednesday and 10pm on Thursday, with gusts of up to 140kmh in exposed areas - mostly on Thursday.
A moist northwesterly flow will bring warning amounts of rain for Fiordland and Westland, and there’s a high chance of severe gales for Canterbury, Otago, Southland and Fiordland.
Through Thursday, the front will move north bringing more wind and rain to Fiordland, Westland, and the headwaters of the Canterbury and Otago lakes and rivers.
Heavy snow could also affect higher parts of Otago, but MetService has low confidence of this coming to fruition.
In Auckland conditions are slightly cloudy but warm, with a high of 18C today.
“There’s some cloud about, it’s okay at the moment but tomorrow is looking a bunch nicer,” MetService meteorologist Alwyn Bakker said.
“No cloud and a little warmer at 20.”
Bakker said Wellington is also pleasant, with the exception of some possible showers in the Hutt Valley.
“We’re looking at a high of 15 today and then tomorrow there’s still some cloud, slightly higher at 16 and the winds are picking up a bit – just classic windy Welly.”
The balmy weather follows Aotearoa’s earliest 25C day in five years, according to Niwa weather.
On Sunday, Whakatu hit 26C and the Kyle St station in Christchurch tipped over 25C.
