Weather blip

Southwesterlies dragged the mercury down to single digits on Saturday night, which caused an unusual summertime dusting of snow by yesterday morning on the Remarkables, Coronet Peak and other peaks in the Wakatipu.

MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt, of Auckland, said on Friday a "welcome low" passed through the basin filled with clouds which brought the first significant rain in a month.

"From around about Monday [today] onwards you go through another period of dry weather rising back to 27degC daytime highs by Wednesday."

Late January to early February was expected to be the warmest time of the year for Queenstown, Mr McDavitt said.