Low Pressure System Set to Affect NZ This Weekend

MetService News Release
18th July 2019

No one will escape a dose of wet weather this weekend with MetService forecasting rain for all areas at some point.

Cooler morning temperatures greeted those waking up in inland eastern regions of the country today with Christchurch dropping to -3.5C overnight – the lowest it has seen since the 7th of this month. However, with warm northerlies developing and cloud increasing today ahead of a broad low-pressure system, overnight temperatures are set to bounce back in these areas.

MetService meteorologist April Clark says “Low pressure will dominate the country’s weather from Friday right into the last day of school holidays with most places set to see some rain before Sunday. Prolonged rain is forecast for the southeast of the South Island which has, so far, seen as little as 20% their rainfall average for July.”

A broad band of rain and strong northerlies spreads over Westland this evening and continues over the North Island on Saturday. Regions most likely to see the largest rain accumulations late Thursday and into Friday is the northwest of the South Island (including Nelson and northern Marlborough).

While eastern regions of both Islands escape any heavy rain on Friday as this low pressure system lumbers it’s way over the country on Saturday the rain will return to the east of the South Island. “South to easterly winds over the southeastern South Island during the weekend are likely to keep conditions wet, welcome for some but perhaps not for school kids wanting to make the most of the final days of the school holidays.” Clark reported.

Elsewhere across the rest of the country the weekend weather is looking ‘messy’ in a word. Sunny breaks and showers are expected to affect much of the west of the South and North Island. Eastern regions from Wairarapa up to Bay of Plenty are looking a lot finer, those heading to the Māori All Blacks game in Rotorua would be very unlucky to get wet at all with fine spells forecast there Saturday evening.

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