Wet And Windy Winter Week
We’ve had settled conditions for the last few days, but MetService is forecasting that to change this week as a slow moving ridge of high pressure over the country gives way to northeasterlies Monday, then a northwest flow on Wednesday.
"A sunny Monday for most, but the northeast winds are bringing showers to the far north today", says Metservice forecaster Rob Kerr. "We’ll see those northeast wind strengthen on Tuesday ahead of a front slowly moving over New Zealand from the Tasman Sea, and rising to gales in the north and west of the North Island, and along the Westland and Fiordland coasts" he adds. "The front will bring a change from showers to rain in the Far North, however it is further south, about Nelson and Westland ranges where Severe Weather Watches are in place for potential heavy rain late on Tuesday and into Wednesday" he says.
As the front moves off to the east on Wednesday, rain spreads across the whole of New Zealand for a time, with the upper North Island potentially getting some heavy falls. The front is followed by northwest winds for the rest of the week. This means Thursday and Friday will be quite similar, with showers in the north and west, but dry and warm in the east, where temperatures around Hawke’s Bay will be nearing 20°C.