Finally, A Fine Weekend

The last of the wild weather from the past week fizzles out on Friday as a narrow ridge builds over the country, with MetService forecasting a fine weekend across much of Aotearoa. Unfortunately, there’s still a bit of weather to get through before then.

A cold front quickly makes its way up the North Island Thursday afternoon, stormy conditions are expected along both coasts and residents in these areas should beware of a periods of gusty winds and heavier showers.

MetService meteorologist Clare O’Connor says: “This is a fast-moving front, so any impacts should be brief. If you’re attending tonight’s football game in Hamilton, the worst will have passed before kick-off”.

Southwesterlies will strengthen about central New Zealand into the evening, and a Strong Wind Watch is in place for Wairarapa (south of Featherston), Wellington, and the Kaikōura Coast from 8pm tonight until 6am Friday morning. Due to the persistent southwesterly flow over the last week, MetService has also issued swell warnings along the east coast of the South Island and the lower North Island, with a peak of nine metres in the far south this afternoon, and four to five metres about Wellington and Cook Strait tonight.

A building ridge settles conditions for most of the country on Friday, clearing skies, calming seas, easing winds, and in turn dropping temperatures on Saturday morning. With the exception of a few showers about western parts of Aotearoa, Saturday will be a dry, blue-sky day – and it’ll be much the same on Sunday.

O’Connor details: “A weak trough moves up the west coast of the South Island on Sunday morning, but there’s very little oomph behind it. Over in the east, it’ll be a Dunner stunner ahead of the Football Ferns final group match on Sunday night.”

Overall, a calmer and clearer weekend ahead weather wise – keep up with our forecasts for full details wherever you are in Aotearoa.

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