Stormy Weather Coming

Issued at 11:59am 27-Jul-2007

Stormy Weather Coming

MetService meteorologists have issued heavy rain for Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, and northern Gisborne. A low-pressure system is forecast to intensify as it approaches from the north to lie west of Northland on Saturday night. The rain will be accomapnied by northeast gales in exposed areas.

"This system has the potential to affect much of the country over the next few days." commented MetService Weather Ambassador, Bob McDavitt. "The weather may be disruptive, especially in Northland where the soils are still saturated from heavy rain in early June. Thunderstorms with the rain band are likely to deliver around 120 mm of rain in a 12 hour period in parts of Coromandel and Bay of Plenty."

People in these areas should watch for rapidly rising streams and rivers on Sunday. Driving conditions are likely to be hazardous with the possibility of slips and surface flooding.

As this large low pressure area moves further south on Sunday a very strong easterly flow is expected to develop over the South Island. Rain should spread south over Marlborough and Canterbury on Sunday afternoon and Otago during Sunday evening. Heavy falls are possible Sunday night and Monday morning, especially about eastern South Island ranges and hill country.

At the other end of the country a northwest flow is bringing heavy rain to south Westland and Fiordland throughout Friday and Saturday.

ENDS

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