Dunedin set for snow to low levels on Friday

Snow blankets Dunedin in July. MetService is forecasting the city to get another dusting in a cold snap on Friday. Photo / Otago Daily Times

Heat, rain, gales and then snow are forecast for Dunedin as the city is set for an “unusual change” in weather this week.

MetService forecaster Tuporo Marsters said to expect snow on Friday after a high of 20 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday.

“There’s a cold outbreak with snow down to low levels [on Friday].

“We’re saying about 300 metres for the Deep South at this stage, including Dunedin, and possibly even lower as the day goes on.”

Mōrena, Aotearoa 🌄

Temperatures around the country at 7am were a bit of a mixed bag.
The coldest toes 🧦 are in Dunedin and Ashburton, at 1°C, but close behind are Queenstown, Wanaka and Taupō, with 2°C.
At the other end of the scale, Auckland and Whangārei are sitting at 13°C,…

— MetService (@MetService) October 22, 2023

Friday was expected to reach a high of just 8 degrees and a low of 3 degrees.

Marsters explained that the change in weather would be felt across the country, but it would be especially bad in Dunedin.

“The reason it’s going cold on Friday is because there’s cold snow showers and cold air coming from Antarctica, straight from the ice.

“With any cold outbreak, it’s the Deep South that gets affected first.”

The cold weather will come after a relatively warm week, with occasional rain expected for today and Thursday.

“We’ve got a bit of a warm morning on Thursday with 20C, but by nightfall it plummets down to 3C.

“So that’s a very unusual change.”

The wind would pick up on Friday, turning into westerly gales.

Southland is also expected to feel the cold southerlies.

On Saturday the temperatures should climb back up as the cold air moves eastwards.