MetService’s temperature gauge at Dunedin Airport posted its hottest June temperature on record at 2.30pm yesterday, when the mercury reached 20.8degC.
MetService meteorologist Clare O’Connor said the previous record at the site was 20.4degC on June 1, 2003.
"So that’s a significant jump on the previous record."
She said yesterday’s unseasonably warm weather was caused by strong northwesterly foehn winds and a series of fronts moving across the Southern Alps.
However, she urged residents to have their winter woollies at the ready again because temperatures would be comparatively frigid today.
"It’s warm now, but that will change.
"There’s a southwesterly coming through, so that will definitely drop those temperatures.
"We will return to normal June weather."
On Sunday a front is expected to move northeast over the South Island, bringing a burst of rain or snow, mainly to western and southern areas.
It is likely that warning amounts of rain will fall in Westland, and it is possible warning amounts may also fall in Fiordland.
It is also possible warning amounts of snow will fall in inland Otago and in the Canterbury high country, south of the Rangitata River.
She said snow down to relatively low levels might continue to affect inland parts of the South Island on Monday, but amounts were not expected to reach warning criteria.
"On Monday and Tuesday, a front is expected to lie slow moving over the east of the South Island.
"The exact location of this front is at this stage uncertain, but it has the potential to bring heavy rain to Dunedin, Otago, Canterbury and Marlborough (south of Blenheim)."
By John Lewis
