Say goodbye to sun by week’s end

After a warm Easter break for much of the country, temperatures are due to tumble in time for next weekend.

MetService said a change of wind direction towards the end of the week would produce highs of only 13C in the South Island, and in the low 20s in the North Island.

Meteorologist John Jaw said over Easter a warm air mass from the northwest kept temperatures high.

“But later this week the wind direction will swing to the south, bringing some cooler temperatures,” Mr Jaw said.

The fine weather continued yesterday for the far south, with a dry and sunny Anniversary Day for Southland, and similar conditions prevailing in Otago.

But strong winds and heavy rain are in store for the top of the South Island in the next few days, moving northwards to Nelson and Taranaki.

Severe weather warnings were in place for northwest Nelson until early today and for Mt Taranaki today and tomorrow.

A low moving eastwards across the country will bring wet weather tomorrow before the southerly change.

Auckland can expect rain and a high of 23C on Friday, dropping to 21C on Saturday.

Hamilton will also have a wet end to the week, with highs of 22C on Friday and 21C on Saturday.

Wellington is set to reach just 16C on Saturday. Christchurch will have highs of 15C on Friday and Saturday, with Dunedin reaching 14C, and Invercargill 13C. A young Napier man who organised a Facebook party that went out of control at the weekend may be charged by police with holding an unlicensed event.

Thomas MacDonald, 20, allegedly organised the event, which attracted up to 1500 young people. A car belonging to a charity was trampled on until its roof and windshield caved in on the same night.

Police allege Mr MacDonald was charging an entry fee, providing alcohol and employing security guards, and said he might have breached liquor licensing and health and safety laws in the process.

In a warning to would-be Facebook party organisers, Hawkes Bay acting prevention manager Inspector Hirone Waretini said police took “a dim view of such events”.