A new autumn weather pattern is emerging for New Zealand - and it promises more rain ahead.
- Weather: Warning as West Coast faces more heavy rain, gales
- Weather: North Island set to get drought-ending rain blast next week
2019 has been dominated by months of high pressure, creating warmer-than-average temperatures and protecting us from lows.
But once these highs end there will be nothing to save New Zealand from storms sweeping in, fuelled by the spike in sea temperatures, says WeatherWatch.
"While the Tasman Sea is warmer than average (and that leads to more rainmakers) there have been few rainmakers for NZ itself because high pressure has protected us/stopped that from happening.
"Once the highs break this will allow the warmer sea waters to help fuel heavier rain events."
Already we have seen massive rainfall striking the West Coast, causing severe flooding and sweeping away bridges. And more is on the way as autumn begins to sink its teeth into the country.
"When we take a look at how the weather systems line up in the second week of April we notice something new - the highs are no longer all perfectly linked up. Now we have lows in between each one," WeatherWatch says.
"We have about a weekly chance of rain now, including for our driest regions - even if totals aren't high it is a start to reverse the big dry that has formed."
Newshub.
