Warmer than normal early winter start

The beginning of winter could be exceptionally hot, forecasters said.

Between May and July, Niwa's expected temperatures are likely to be above average across the country, but storms and frosts are likely to occur, particularly in the colder regions, as the weather warms. season.

According to forecasters, the heat wave in the Tasman Sea that continued last month resulted in warmer than normal sea, which could result in shorter, less severe cold spells at the beginning of the month. Winter, according to Niwa's Seasonal Climate Outlook report.

The sea surface temperature in the country ranged from 0.8 to 2.1 ° C above normal.

And hot seas are likely to continue into the next quarter, predicted Niwa.

But that does not mean that the next three months will be dry.

Rainfall may be higher than normal in the west of the South Island, while the north of the South Island would receive the usual amount.

For the North Island and the rest of the south, precipitation may be below average, said Niwa. But forecasters warned that there was an equal chance that it was as wet as usual.

The models predicted that weather conditions in El Nino that the country had experienced in recent months would certainly continue until July and would probably last until next summer.

For this weekend, mercury is expected to rise well above average in some parts of the country.

A high-pressure ridge over much of the country would result in above-average temperatures throughout the country, with some parts of the South Island averaging 6 ° C above average.

The temperatures in Auckland would remain between 19 and 20 ° C, about 3 ° more than normal.