New Zealanders experienced a sudden drop in temperatures at the end of March, and according to Niwa meteorologist Chris Brandolino, this could be a sign of things to come. Brandolino predicts that the recent cold spell could serve as a precursor to a colder than average winter, as the country enters into an El Niño cycle. The cycle typically brings more southwest winds in autumn and more southerly winds in winter, resulting in a propensity for colder temperatures across the country.
Despite the colder conditions, Brandolino says that the verdict is still out on what this will mean for the ski season. While colder conditions are likely to improve the ski season for larger ski fields that can make their snow, smaller ski fields could still struggle due to the lack of snow falling from Mother Nature. Brandolino suggests that the drier winter could also create problems further down the line.
New Zealanders have become accustomed to milder winters over the last three years due to the impact of La Niña, but Brandolino says that we should not expect the same this year. People have developed a recency bias regarding what winter is like, he explains.
