MetService has issued a heavy rain watch for parts of Northland and is warning more bad weather could follow this Easter for areas still recovering from Cyclone Gabrielle.
Heavy rain, with possible downpours, is expected to hit the Far North, from Russell upwards, from 6pm Thursday to 8am Friday – just in time for holiday revellers heading north.
MetService said there was a low risk of rainfall exceeding warning criteria but there would be significant impacts if that eventuated, with the area still sodden from Cyclone Gabrielle.
Even more of a concern was another, more substantial subtropical low which would follow in the path of this forecast bad weather.
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MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said there was still a lot of uncertainty about which locations would be impacted by that low.
“We’re keeping a very close eye on it and we will be updating any severe weather information.”
But Makgabutlane said the areas in the firing line for the bad weather were those already affected by Cyclone Gabrielle: Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay.
The forecast is for the low to reach the Far North on Saturday, bringing a strengthening and wet east-to-southeast flow across central and northern parts of the country as it moves towards Gisborne, then towards the Chatham Islands on Sunday.
There is low confidence of heavy rain for Northland and northern parts of Auckland, including Great Barrier Island, on Friday and Saturday.
Christel Yardley/Stuff
Heavy rain is forcast to hit the Far North just as Easter holiday revellers are planning to travel, with a watch in place for Thursday evening to Friday morning. (File photo)
There is moderate confidence of heavy rain for Coromandel Peninsula, western Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay on Saturday.
On top of this, from Friday through to Saturday morning there is low confidence of severe gale south-to-southeasterly winds for the upper North Island, from Waikato and western Bay of Plenty northwards.
The winds could then hit Manawatū, Horowhenua and the Kapiti Coast on Saturday.
Later on Sunday and Monday, a moist and strong northerly flow spreads over New Zealand.
On Monday, there is low confidence a heavy rain warning will be required for Tasman west of Mouteka, Buller and Westland.
Meanwhile, heavy rain in southern Fiordland caused by a trough with embedded fronts is expected to ease by 3pm Wednesday.
The trough is expected to bring strong winds to coastal Southland including Stewart Island, and Clutha south of Balclutha for nine hours from 5pm Wednesday to 2am Thursday.
