News
SIMA News carries articles written by South Island Met Agency forecasters: seasonal climate outlooks, synoptic analysis of upcoming weather, reviews of significant storms and snow events, and explanations of the meteorology behind South Island weather. Articles are written by our forecasters in the SIMA Admin Panel and published here, each with its own shareable link.
What you will find here
Seasonal outlooks discuss the influence of drivers such as El Niño and La Niña on South Island temperature and rainfall. Event reviews look back at notable weather, comparing what was forecast with what was observed. Explainer articles cover topics such as föhn northwesterlies, polar outbreaks, atmospheric rivers on the West Coast and the formation of inland frosts.
The three most recent articles are shown first, with older articles grouped by month in the archive below. Use the search box to find articles about a particular region, hazard or event.
South Island Met Agency is an independent private forecaster and does not issue official government severe weather warnings. For official New Zealand watches and warnings, visit MetService. Read our About Us & Terms and Privacy Policy.
Latest articles
- Cold Air returns; potential high country snow down south (27 October 2026)
Cold Air returns; potential high country snow down south A cooler (and depending on where you are across the South Island down right wintry) airflow is setting up across the lower South Island from late Wednesday evening - Slow Moving front to bring significant rain and severe gales on Monday (24 October 2026)
Significant weather Slow Moving front to bring significant rain and severe gales on Monday ⚠ Regional Weather Notices Regional Weather Notices are in place for heavy rain in the west and severe gales for a number of regi - November shaping up wetter in the west; warmer for alpine areas (22 October 2026)
November 2026 November shaping up wetter in the west; warmer for alpine areas November is shaping up warmer than normal across most of the South Island, with the west wetter than usual and the eastern side running a bit