The Central North Island is experiencing an unusually warm autumn with no major snow events predicted for local mountains in the coming weeks, according to weatherwatch.co.nz.
Philip Duncan, Head Forecaster at weatherwatch.co.nz, says temperatures nationwide have been remarkably high, with even the South Island recording temperatures well above seasonal norms.
"In fact even in the South Island where it is snowing today in some areas and they've had some frost lately, they've actually been, well at least for the first half of April, they were more than two degrees above average," Duncan told Lake FM.
"That doesn't sound like a lot. That's a lot. That's quite a bit over normal. Even one degree above average can be considered quite noticeable. Two degrees is certainly noticeable," he explained.
For the Taupō district and Central North Island, this translates to even milder conditions, with current morning temperatures around 15 degrees Celsius.
While a cold southerly front is expected to move through tomorrow, its impact will be relatively modest. Duncan notes that Waiouru will see maximum temperatures of around six degrees with overnight lows of three degrees.
"So we aren't seeing at this stage any major snow events. There is a southerly coming through tomorrow though that is going to be cold. You will feel that," Duncan said.
The forecaster warned that frost risks will increase around the central plateau after moisture disappears by Saturday, particularly in hill areas and valleys surrounding Taupō from Sunday night through Tuesday morning.
Duncan attributes the unusual warmth to high pressure systems moving in from Australia rather than the Southern Ocean, which typically brings colder and wetter conditions.
"At the moment, huge high pressure systems coming over the country. They're doing two things. They're dragging down the subtropical air flows once the high exits, because when a high leaves our country, it usually brings down a northerly," he said.
These weather patterns are contributing to warmer-than-usual conditions that could potentially extend through the early winter period, with the forecast looking quite dry for the next couple of weeks.
