Some light showers and drizzle patches popped up this morning around the Port Hills and more drizzle patches are likely later today. On Saturday the rain from the North Island looks like it may well push right into Canterbury, carried there by the nor’east flow hugging New Zealand’s eastern coastline.

Not much rain is expected today, just 1mm or so. However Saturday may get 5mm.  Totals above 5mm may be quite helpful to firefighters.

Low cloud may be the only downside over the next day or two – it’s unclear from our point of view if that will affect helicopters and visibility but low cloud is possible as this humid nor’easter kicks in further.

The nor’east winds will remain fairly breezy to brisk on the Port Hills and this wind direction is the most likely one for the weekend.

– Image, 10am Saturday shows a small area of rain lining up with the Christchurch/Banks Peninsula area for the morning. It may be a bit patchy but so far it bodes well. There is a 70% chance of rain and the current estimation is for about 5mm or so of rain / Weathermap

– WeatherWatch.co.nz