Last Thursday a fairly weak low passed just north of Cape Reinga bringing some heavy rain to Northland – but only gloomy skies to Auckland with just a few showers in the north.  The low, which had sub-tropical aspects to it, passed by last Thursday and by Friday morning it was sunny again – this weeks looks very similar.

“Yet again we have a low with sub-tropical connections passing by the upper North Island late Wednesday and into Thursday, however this time it looks as though the rain will affect regions a little further south” predicts head weather analyst Philip Duncan. 

“It is remarkably similar to the low we had last Thursday, however it looks as though rain and showers will sweep a little further south, affecting more of Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula and potentially Bay of Plenty”.

Mr Duncan says the cut off area for the rain clouds again looks to be the Auckland and BOP regions but a few showers may sneak into Waikato and other upper North Island regions.  “It’s not a major event but it’s one to monitor if you live in the upper North Island simply because this small low will be tapping into sub-tropical air and that can make for sudden and heavy downpours”.

And like last week’s low, it’s expected to be clearing quickly on Friday as a smalll high moves in behind it.

This low won’t impact the South Island – which is heavily influenced by Southern Ocean westerlies for the next 10 days or so.

The sub-tropical low may be arriving a little earlier than last weeks low did – with areas as early as Wednesday PM being affected by showers and rain may even arrive at night in the Far North.

Image / 6am Thurs rain map courtesy Weathermap.co.nz

– WeatherWatch.co.nz