New Zealand Forecast – A Couple of Extra Dustings for Canterbury in Cold Southerly Flow
Published early Friday, 1st August 2025
After wild weather and rain affected NZ ski fields earlier this week, a welcome cold southerly change arrived Wednesday night and gave the Southern Lakes a dusting of 2-6cm, while Canterbury scored up to 10-15cm with a little more falling on Thursday. Mt Ruapehu also received a little snow late Thursday.
Cold southerly winds will persist into the weekend, with fresh pulses giving Canterbury and Mt Ruapehu a dusting today, and then Canterbury another one on Saturday night. Winds will then turn northwards on Monday as a high drifts over the South Island.
Friday 1st August
Light snowfall clears the Southern Lakes by dawn, and then clouds gradually clear there and the Mackenzie basin for a fine afternoon as cold southerlies die away.
Elsewhere in Canterbury, snow spreads north in the morning as a fresh pulse of strong, cold southerlies arrive. It then clears from the south throughout the afternoon as the winds start to ease.
Saturday 2nd August
A mostly fine day across the South Island with south to southwest winds, which will be quite strong for the Southern Lakes, where more cloud will also turn up during the afternoon. Canterbury will also get a dusting of snow at night.
Sunday 3rd August
A clear, bluebird day as cold southerlies clock around to the east-to-northeast.
Monday 4th August
Another fine day with a little high cloud, and milder north-to-northeast winds.
Extended Forecast
North to northwest winds pick up over the country on Tuesday and Wednesday as the high over the country drifts away to the east. Then, from about Thursday through to the end of next week, a storm system from the west will slowly pass over the country, initially bringing a mix of rain and high-level snow, followed by a cold change and snow.
That’s all from me today, folks. I’m sending out these forecasts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday throughout the season. Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you back here on Monday.
Grasshopper
