MetService advises that the wild spring weather will continue as a strong, disturbed westerly flow spreads a series of fast-moving fronts over Aotearoa/New Zealand. It’s looking like a soggy second half of the week, with everywhere likely to see some wet weather.

MetService Meteorologist Ngaire Wotherspoon remarks, “Even as today’s showers and thunderstorms over central and northern regions ease, another front spreads rain on to the lower South Island tomorrow. This front may bring heavy falls or even hail to western regions, followed by cold, showery southwesterlies.” Snow levels are expected to lower to 500 metres in Southland in the evening, dropping further early Saturday morning.

Strong westerly quarter winds (between northwesterly and southwesterly) are expected to be widespread. Watches for strong winds are in place for areas of particular concern, though more may join the ranks as the weekend progresses.

The Canterbury High Country and inland Marlborough ranges are under a Strong Wind Watch from Friday morning until the evening. The Tararua District and southern Hawke’s Bay join later in the morning, continuing until Saturday morning, when they are replaced by a Strong Wind Watch for Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula. Wotherspoon comments “Northwesterly winds are expected to tip southwest around midday, marking Auckland’s first strong southwesterly event since early August. Along with the wind, it’s going to be rainy and temperatures will be dropping, so it’s going to feel pretty grim.”

Showers and winds for the North Island should start to ease from late Saturday afternoon, but it will still be a wet kick-off for the O’Reilly Cup final test. “After a wet couple of days, supporting the Black Ferns in Hamilton is a great way to get out of the house, but be sure to wrap up warm underneath a water and windproof layer,” says Wotherspoon.

More fast-moving fronts are expected to travel up the country into the second week of school holidays, with heavy rain expected for the South Island west coast from Sunday. More affected areas could be identified closer to the time, so keep an eye on metservice.com for updates.

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