We’re in the final week of July and smack bang in the middle of winter but the month is going to end warmer than it started.

As WeatherWatch.co.nz said in our Fonterra Forecast for July (back in late June) the month would start off wintry but end drier, windier and milder.

As we head into August let’s not kid ourselves – winter is definitely still in charge and polar blasts (as we’ve seen in both Australia and New Zealand this winter with frequency) are possible at any time in the month – and as late as October.

However there is also little chance of denying it – Mother Nature is ahead of our calendars.  Calving is beginning, lambing too.  Daffodils are blooming and a few plants are even showing signs of new growth and buds.

So while winter is definitely still here, spring may be now showing up in the weather pattern….with more westerly weather, fewer days with frosts and slightly warmer weather. You may even start to notice a little bit of extra daylight morning and night compared to a month ago.

Won’t say we’ve passed the worst of winter yet – August can be a surprisingly nasty month sometimes.  But with every week that now passes we are getting more sunlight and spring-conditions are showing more and more hints of arriving and setting in.   

– By head weather analyst Philip Duncan

– Image / File, Joanne Ottey

– WeatherWatch.co.nz