Covering period of Friday 2nd - Monday 5th May

Key Stats
• Canterbury saw 100 to 200 mm of rain between Wednesday and Friday morning, while parts of Banks Peninsula saw up to 300 mm
• On 30 April, Christchurch (80.2 mm) and Ashburton (105.4 mm) saw their wettest April day on record. For Ashburton, it was their wettest day in at least 19 years, while Christchurch records go back to 1943
• The wettest parts of Wellington recorded between 120 and 150 mm of rain in that time, with the largest accumulation in Wainuiomata 
• On Thursday, at 118 km/h, Wellington Airport got their strongest southerly wind since 2013
• Waves of 12 metres were measured off Baring Head in Wellington on Thursday

After days of heavy rain, fierce winds, and widespread warnings, Aotearoa New Zealand is in for a change. MetService is forecasting an easing trend later today (Friday), with the wettest and windiest weather on the way out in time for the weekend.

While rain and strong winds remain in the mix – including heavier showers and thunderstorms with hail in the upper North Island, conditions are expected to gradually settle later in the day and into the weekend – offering a much-needed window for clean-up efforts and a return to something closer to normal.

South Island

After a very wet couple of days in Canterbury, breaks in the rain can be expected today, with the bulk of the showers expected to have cleared by the end of the day. However, temperatures remain on the chilly side, with daytime highs hovering in the low to mid-teens.

The weekend brings a mostly dry forecast for many parts of the South Island. Some showers may return to parts of Canterbury, especially around the foothills and Banks Peninsula on Saturday night into Sunday morning. But with patches of sunshine also expected, the coming days should help support any recovery work. A brief front clips the far south (Southland and Otago) with showers from Saturday into Sunday morning.

North Island

Friday brings showers for Northland, Auckland, and the top of the Coromandel Peninsula — some heavy at times with thunderstorms and hail — before a clearing trend sets in during the evening.

After a wild and windy night, the worst of the winds have moved off the North Island. That said, it will still be gusty today for Wellington and Wairarapa, as strong southwesterlies continue — though more in line with what’s considered ‘typical’ for the region.

An Orange Heavy Rain Warning remains in place for Wairarapa until 3pm Friday, and rain and showers ease towards evening. Large waves along the Wellington and Wairarapa coasts are expected to gradually ease through Friday, though coastal conditions in Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti Gisborne remain rough through Saturday evening.

Looking ahead to the weekend, most of the North Island can expect a settled spell. Eastern areas may still see a few showers, and Wellington and Northland could get some early showers on Saturday. But for many, Sunday looks sunny — a chance to finally tackle that laundry backlog or spend time outdoors.

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