Queenstown.com - Weather

A belt of high pressure lies to the east and south of the South Island.   Main high is centered just southwest of the Chatham Islands and extends a ridge of high pressure around the south of the South Island.  This whole system is absolutely stationary but will possibly move away to the east by Saturday morning.   A weak low in the central Tasman Sea is also stationary and will probably disappear within the next 24 hours.  A trough of low pressure extending down from the north covers the north of the North  Island with a stationary front in this trough lying just to the east of Northland then across to the north of the Bay of Plenty and out east over East Cape.   A small depression is developing on this front and will deepen as it moves southwards over the North Island during today bringing rain to most North Island places.  The low will lie to the east of Banks Peninsula by tomorrow morning, bringing rain to the northern half of the South Island before it moves away to the southeast.   A deep depression well south of Tasmania is moving eastwards and extends an active cold front northwards to lie just west of Tasmania.   As the front moves eastwards it will develop a depression on it just east of Bass Strait tomorrow and deepen as it moves towards the central Tasman Sea.  A strengthening northerly airstream ahead of this low will spread onto the South Island by later on Saturday with rain about the western ranges.   Occasional rain will spread to other areas on Sunday with the rain about the western ranges becoming heavy.

 

Forecast for the Southern Lakes and Central Otago for today is for any areas of low cloud or fog patches quickly clearing to a generally fine, sunny day with light winds and pleasant afternoon temperatures.  Low cloud may spread to many areas again tonight, more particularly Central Otago.   Maximum temperatures yesterday were Queenstown 15.5 degrees.   Arrowtown 14.5 degrees.  Kinloch 17.0 degrees.  Wanaka 16.0 degrees.  Kingston 16.6 degrees.  Forecast upper level winds for today at 1000 metres light variable winds.   At 2000 metres easterlies 35 kph easing this evening.   Freezing level 1800 metres.   Forecast maximum temperatures for today for Queenstown, Wanaka and the Upper Clutha 14 degrees.  Kingston 15 degrees.  Glenorchy 16 degrees.  Cromwell and Alexandra 13 degrees.

 

Tomorrow continuing fine and sunny after the clearance of any morning low cloud or perhaps some fog areas about Central Otago.   Light winds.  Low cloud probably developing again at night.

 

Saturday fine after low cloud clears but upper level cloud will spread across the district during the afternoon.   North to northeasterly winds freshening.   Rain will develop about the western ranges during the afternoon but it will remain dry elsewhere until a few spots possible late in the evening.

 

Sunday cloudy to overcast with heavy rain about the western ranges all day and lighter rain in other districts.   Northerly winds decreasing and probably turning light southerlies late in the day.