Visit Ellerslie flower show early

Head for the Ellerslie International Flower Show tomorrow morning because Christchurch's weather will turn downright nasty in the afternoon.

An active cold front will sweep across Canterbury about lunchtime tomorrow bringing plunging temperatures, a spell of steady rain, strong southerly winds and even a chance of thunderstorms with small hail.

MetService predictions are that the rain will set in after 1pm and conditions will be at their worst between about 4pm and 7pm tomorrow before clearing around midnight.  

Friday will be mostly fine with a chance of a few showers but a gusty, chilly south-wester will make it clear autumn has arrived.

Similar conditions are possible throughout the weekend.

MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt said today's blustery cool easterly wind should die down this afternoon, making for warmer temperatures at the flower show later today and first thing tomorrow.  

The arrival of the cold, wet change would be quite dramatic. "It'll be the first time the freezing-level has dropped below the mountain tops this year. You'll notice the drop in the temperatures and it'll no longer feel like summer."

The expected thundery change is the remains of the storm system that brought massive hail and flooding to Melbourne at the weekend.

- © Fairfax NZ News