12 Aug 2011

Bitterly cold weather on way

6:44 pm on 12 August 2011

MetService is warning the country is in for another polar blast rivalling that experienced in late July.

From Saturday, a southerly flow will make its presence felt over the country.

The first big dip in temperatures are forecast for Saturday night, when a cold front moves on to the south of the South Island, bringing significant snow to sea level from southern Fiordland to the Otago Peninsula.

Snowfalls and bitterly cold south to south-west gales are expected to spread up the east of the South Island to reach Wellington and Wairarapa by Sunday night and further north on Monday.

Another surge of cold air in the south and east of the country on Monday is expected to reinforce this - and eventually spread very cold and windy conditions over the remaining western and northern areas of the North Island.

Emergency Management Southland manager Neil Cruickshank says snowfall as heavy as July will return to the area, and will affect farmers and may disrupt travel.

MetService says the cold weather is expected to stay until at least Tuesday.