Rain joins transtasman exodus
Planeloads of Kiwis escaping the burst transtasman bubble aren’t the only ones crossing the Tasman Sea this weekend.
An active front will move over on to some western and northern parts of the country today, MetService meteorologist Ashlee Parkes said. That means wet weather, with heavy rain forecast in Nelson, west of Motueka, and the ranges of Westland, south of Otira.
Warnings are in place for both areas — from 9pm today until 1pm tomorrow in Nelson and for 24 hours from 8pm today in Westland.
Heavy rain watches are also in place for Fiordland, some of the Buller ranges, and at Richmond Range, including Rai Valley and Marlborough Sounds.
The heavy rain wouldn’t be as intense as the downpours that flooded houses in Westport and sparked evacuations across Westland, parts of Tasman and Marlborough last weekend, Parkes said.
However, given how saturated flood-affected areas were, the rain could cause additional headaches for residents, she said.
“The North Island — Northland to Taihape and including Bay of Plenty — may see some heavy falls as the front crosses. The second half of tomorrow the strong northeasterly winds ease and switch to westerlies, so are not so strong.”
Temperatures would be about average for the time of year — Auckland would reach 16C today and 17C tomorrow, Hamilton 15C and 16C, Wellington 14C both days and Christchurch 14C and 13C, she said.
Meanwhile fog, which blanketed Auckland yesterday morning sparking delays, diversions and cancellations at Auckland Airport, wasn’t likely to return, Parkes said.
“There was a ridge of high pressure over the country, which means clear skies and light winds — perfect conditions for fog.
“There might be patches of fog in valleys, but the wind will be too strong for [elsewhere] in Auckland.”