Wet, windy weekend

Not one corner of the country will escape the bleak weather ahead for this weekend as forecasters warn a wintry blast will soon have us in its grip.

Metservice is warning an onslaught of potentially ’’damaging winds’’ and heavy rains poised to sweep the country this weekend, with the top of the South Island and lower North Island forecast to be the worst hit.

A warning for heavy rain is in force for the ranges of Nelson, the Richmond and Bryant ranges, Westland, the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers and Buller.

Metservice said the weekend weather is likely to be a ‘‘significant’’ event. A warning is in force for severe gale north-westerlies predicted for Fiordland, Southland west of Mossburn, Wairarapa, Wellington, the Marlborough Sounds, Taranaki, Taihape, Whanganui, Manawatu, Horowhenua and the Kapiti Coast.

Today, the Marlborough region beyond the Sounds, Canterbury and inland parts of Otago could expect potentially damaging winds, with Metservice warning the gusts could make driving around parts of the High Country hazardous.

The weather forecaster has warned an active front is approaching, set to move in an eastern direction across the South Island today and across the North Island early tomorrow, preceded by a ‘‘very strong and moist north to north-west flow and followed by disturbed westerlies.’’

There is also the possibility of severe gale north-westerlies in exposed places from this evening until around dawn tomorrow for Auckland, the Coromandel, Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui, Taupo, Rotorua, the Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and the Hawke’s Bay. ‘‘These winds have the potential to cause localised damage and make driving hazardous,’’ Metservice’s warning said.

The Otago lakes area can expect a short but heavy dousing until this afternoon of an estimated 50mm in 6 hours.

Mount Taranaki, the Tongariro National parks area and the Whanganui hill country, Taumarunui and the Tararua ranges could also expect heavy downfall during the same period.