Covering period of Friday 7 - Monday 10 February

Severe thunderstorms are possible for the central North Island this afternoon and evening (Friday), but MetService is forecasting more warm and dry weather for most during the weekend.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in place for the central North Island this afternoon and evening, covering Taupō, Waikato south of Tokoroa, Taumarunui, inland Bay of Plenty, Taranaki and Taihape. Scattered heavy showers, thunderstorms and localised downpours (25 – 40 mm/h) are expected within this area.

MetService meteorologist Ngaire Wotherspoon comments, “Not everywhere within the Watch area will see a thunderstorm or downpour today, but the potential is there. Localised downpours can cause surface flooding, especially in low-lying areas, so it’s worth keeping an eye on metservice.com as our expert meteorologists will be issuing localised Warnings for severe thunderstorms as they occur.”

It's shaping up to be a sunny day for the rest of the North Island today, with toasty forecast high temperatures in the mid-high twenties. The South Island is cloudier, especially over Canterbury and Marlborough where temperatures remain in the teens, but this cloud is forecast to break up this afternoon. The remains of a front over western South Island areas means cloud and a sprinkling of rain will stick around into the weekend.

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Over the weekend, a ridge of high pressure over the North Island means more sunny and warm weather. There will still be a few showers in central areas. Down south, showers continue in the west while eastern areas get sunny, warm weather to start the weekend. Alexandra has a forecast high of 31°C on Saturday, before temperatures drop as a band of rain reaches Southland at night.

Wotherspoon details, “Brief rain spreads over Southland and Otago tomorrow night as a front moves north, but it slows and begins to break up heading into Sunday morning. There will be a dip in temperatures for the South Island with this front; Christchurch has a forecast high of 29 °C on Sunday, but is only expected to reach 19 °C on Monday.”

The remnants of this front will linger into next week, keeping conditions in the South Island cool and cloudy, while the North Island is in store for more warm and dry conditions.

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