Summer is starting to fade as the last official week of Summer arrives and Autumn is waiting in the wings.

Daylight hours are significantly getting shorter with sunrise over an hour later than it was on our longest days back on Dec 21st and 22nd.   Sun is setting over half an hour earlier at night, according to WeatherWatch.co.nz, fast approaching 8pm in Auckland and now just before 9pm in Invercargill.

Temperature-wise it’s likely we’ve now moved past the hottest weeks of the year after a scorching hot January and early February.  Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says temperatures seem to be levelling out a little.  “We saw 40 degrees in Canterbury and Hawkes Bay and Auckland in the low to mid 30s during the past 6 weeks but now most places are settling into more modest levels”.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says Northland is still reaching the late 20s, and Gisborne and Hawkes Bay are still climbing into the low 30s however most other regions have dropped to the low to mid 20s according to Duncan, except for the South Island’s south and east coastlines where highs have been in the low to mid teens lately. 

“More rain clouds have meant our highs have been capped at lower levels, but it’s helped lift overnight lows especially across northern New Zealand”.

Mr Duncan says plenty of low pressure around the South Island has meant a sudden change to Autumn-like temperatures for many over the past few weeks.  “Southern and eastern parts of the South Island, mostly south of Christchurch, have had a wild ride of temperatures over the past month or so and lately an increase in winds from the south have seen many days with highs in the low teens”.

The set up for the last meteorological week of summer shows another low moving across the lower South Island bringing unsettled conditions to the south and more low temperatures.  “Highs again in the low to mid teens for many South Islanders this week and slightly cooler air over the North Island means many centres will only make it into the low to mid 20s”.

However he says high pressure in the North Island would mean more settled weather was likely so it may feel hotter.  “Summer may be beginning to end but it’s definitely far from over for many, especially in the North Island…while our days and evenings may still be warm we may notice the odd cool snap and the darker mornings”.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says high pressure systems around New Zealand continue to submit to lows moving in from the north and south meaning unsettled weather is very likely going into March with more rain likely than this time last year.