Wet end to holidays as storms sweep in

Storms are set to sweep across parts of New Zealand this week as two low pressure systems bring an end to the warm run of weather.

Strong winds forced the Prada Cup race, the lead-in regatta to the America’s Cup, to be abandoned and re-raced yesterday.

The weather forecast had already forced the racecourse to move in anticipation of one of the fronts blowing up from the south across Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf.

The storm will likely not cause too many problems for those lucky enough to still be on holiday, but the weather is set to take a turn for the worse later in the week, MetService meteorologist Peter Little said.

‘‘It’s going to be quite a change from the warm weather we’ve had,’’ Little said.

‘‘The change is set to come midweek and it will get a lot colder.’’

Rain and wind hit the west coast of the South Island and Wellington yesterday, with much of the country set to feel the same in coming days.

‘‘There are more systems lying in wait in the Tasman waiting to be flung across us,’’ Little said.

‘‘So it’s going to get much colder.

While Dunedin was up to 28.9 degrees yesterday, temperatures were set to drop to about 15 degrees by the midweek.

Little said the front coming through would likely see some severe weather warnings, with more rain and much stronger winds set to hit tomorrow or Wednesday.

Severe gales are likely to hit both islands as the west to north west winds blow through – with wind gusts of over 120kmh expected to hit Wellington’s city centre tomorrow, according to Weather Watch.

Gusts on the Wellington hilltops could be over 150kmh – along with some extreme exposed parts of the South Island, in the mountains and some wind tunnels.

That front could also hit the South Island’s west coast, dumping up to 200mm of rain in the region tomorrow.

The rain could cause slips, flooding and even road closures, so campers and trampers were advised to keep an eye on MetService mountain and marine forecasts.

But while the wet weather isn’t god news for those still on holiday, it will be welcome for those in the north, with some rain expected to fall in the drought-hit region, Little said. ‘‘The system is likely to deliver some rain, but not as much as they want up there.’’