Brace for Wind-Driven Rain

Issued by MetService at 02:16pm 12-Jul-2006
Brace for Wind-Driven Rain

The MetService weather outlook map for Friday shows zones of significant wind-driven rain mainly affecting eastern and southern districts of the North Island and the northeast of the South Island along with a band of severe gales from Gisborne to Taranaki.

The front currently over New Zealand is forecast to bring northwest gales to Wellington and Wairarapa until Wednesday night, and a period of heavy rain and very squally thunderstorms over central parts of the North Island overnight and on Thursday morning.

"This front is forecast to stall on Friday," commented MetService Weather Ambassador, Bob McDavitt. "That's the problem. That will trigger a deepening low-pressure system to form somewhere to the northeast of Coromandel, amplifying the wind and rain over the North Island during Friday and into the weekend."

McDavitt added that the rain may pose special problems to people living in areas from Wairarapa to Wanganui where the soil is already soggy and now prone to slipping. "Also the air over the Kaikoura Mountains will be cold enough to turn this rain to snow for a time."

"Brace on Thursday for the wind-driven rain that's forecast for Friday and Saturday. This situation is still evolving and details will depend on the track of the low-pressure centre so it will be important to keep up to date with the latest warnings."

ENDS

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