NZ High-Alpine: (An Unseasonal) Dump Alert

An autumnal polar system is inbound for NZ's Southern Alps next week

Earlier this week, we experienced the March equinox (20th), marking the Sun's crossing of the Earth’s equator and the transition to shorter days than nights in the Southern Hemisphere. This change is a clear indicator that we are moving closer to winter.

Right on cue (as commentated in my post last week), we saw a dusting of snow on the high elevations of Tasmania and New Zealand on Wednesday:

New Zealand's Mount Hutt (Left) and Tasmania's Mount Mawson both saw a light dusting on Wednesday, 20th March 2023.

For NZ, this MJO pulse and negative SAM teleconnection ‘aint over yet as they see the ‘polar system of the year’ (so far) bearing down on the South Island next week.