The weather has begun to feel more autumnal, with a noticeable chill felt in the early hours of the day.

As we approach the autumn equinox this week, MetService is forecasting southerly winds and cooler mornings.

The week starts with a southerly flow over Aotearoa New Zealand, bringing showery weather, cloudy periods, and brisk southerly winds to the southern and eastern areas of both the North and South Islands on Monday and Tuesday.

While the remainder of the country will see some sunnier weather, they won’t escape the chill.

“A cloudier sky overnight is much like having a duvet on your bed – clouds overnight provide an insulating layer which keep the heat from the day from radiating away. Cloudless nights are often when the coldest temperatures are recorded, and frosts can occur,” says MetService Meteorologist Clare O'Connor.

Over the weekend much of the upper North Island experienced their coldest morning temperatures of the year so far, and as we approach and pass through the equinox this week this trend will continue.

The autumn equinox occurs on Wednesday, March 20 this year, marking the shift to longer periods of darkness as sunrises get later and sunsets earlier.

Wednesday is also expected to be the most settled day for weather, with widespread blue skies and sunshine.

Later in the week, a low-pressure system from the Tasman Sea brings rain to western areas of the South Island on Thursday, reaching the North Island on Friday before quickly moving on.

Image: MetService.