Weather: ‘Persistent and heavy’ rain expected to sweep North Island on Tuesday


The North Island is set for a day of heavy rain on Tuesday, while showers are expected to “clip” the top of the South Island, MetService says.

Following a stretch of a few fine days, a low over the Tasman Sea is approaching the North Island, with a band of heavy rain hitting the country from the west.

A heavy rain watch is in place for Northland from 5pm Tuesday to 11am Wednesday.

“Auckland and Northland will be starting to get a few spits now and the rain will spread down the country throughout the day,” a MetService spokesperson said on Tuesday morning.

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Mount Taranaki is also under a heavy rain watch, stretching from 11am Tuesday until 1am Wednesday.

A heavy rain warning will be in place for the Bay of Plenty ranges east of Ōpōtiki, from 6pm on Tuesday until 4am on Wednesday.

MetService has warned locals to expect 60-90 mm of rain, which may cause “streams and rivers to rise rapidly”, with flooding and slips also possible.

Looking to the rest of the week, the heavy rain in Auckland and Northland is expected to ease to showers on Wednesday morning and later clear south of Taranaki to Wairarapa.

Rain is expected to be heavy for most of the North Island on Tuesday afternoon. (File photo)

Martin De Ruyter/Stuff

Rain is expected to be heavy for most of the North Island on Tuesday afternoon. (File photo)

“The rain will clear up overnight and Wednesday is looking pretty dry,” the MetService spokesperson said.

There were no other watches or warnings for the rest of Aotearoa, with the South Island looking mostly fine, apart from some freezing temperatures across Southland.

MetService said the rain may “clip” the South Island on Tuesday, with heavier rain predicted to make a comeback later in the week.

“On Thursday and Friday, the rain comes back and will spread throughout the country,” the spokesperson said.

As of Tuesday morning, the warmest place in Aotearoa was Kaitāia in the Far North at 13.8 degrees.

Meanwhile, Twizel in the South Island dropped below freezing at -1.1 degrees.



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