Here’s what is making the weather headlines today….

VERY UNSETTLED – FRONT / LOW

ROUND ONE – FRONT

A front pushes down over the North Island this morning with rain, a few heavy falls in the east, mainly for Coromandel, Bay Of Plenty and East Cape. Expect strong northeasterly winds also with gales likely about eastern coastal areas, Bay Of Plenty and down along the east coast (Gisborne to Wairarapa), these winds will back off this afternoon as a front moves out to the east.

There is also some heavy rain about the top of the South Island, easing this afternoon.

ROUND TWO – BIG LOW IN THE TASMAN

Northerly winds will strengthen for the western and upper North Island from later this afternoon or evening, gales develop for coastal areas. Overnight heavy rain moves into the top of the South Island again, especially areas west of Nelson.

A deep low crosses over the North Island on Saturday. Expect heavy rain for the western North Island south of the Waikato, although this could change if the positioning of the low changes, for now south of the Waikato and just north of Wellington. Wairarapa starts to pick up on heavy rain from late afternoon then moving into Hawkes Bay in the evening as southerly quarter winds strengthen up the east coast later in the day.

Expect strong northwesterlies for the upper North Island in the morning, tending a little more westerly in the afternoon then southwest in the evening. The westerly portion in the afternoon north of Taranaki through to Northland (especially in the west) could see severe gales. Southwesterlies in the evening are quite strong also with gales for coastal areas, once again in the west sees the strongest winds.

Southerlies through Cook Strait up to southern Taranaki rise to gale in the afternoon then ease at night.

Thunderstorms are possible northern Taranaki northwards then easing from afternoon.

For watches and warnings from Metservice please see this page here.

There is plenty to go over and Phil Duncan will give another run down in his daily video later this morning or around midday.

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SOUTHWEST AIRFLOW EASES ON SUNDAY

The weather eases on Sunday, although eases is a relative term in some sense. We still have the potential for heavy rain in the morning for the western North Island (Taranaki / Central North Island) but this backs off from afternoon.

Winds are quite strong in the morning from the southwest across much of the North Island with gales for coastal areas but these will start to ease from afternoon also.

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IS THERE ANY SETTLED WEATHER COMING UP?

Perhaps, there will be glimmers of hope in amongst the continuous chaos moving in from the west.

Because the weather coming up is by and large moving in from the west, eastern regions have a higher chance of settled weather with sun and warmer temperatures, especially Tuesday next week on wards.

Late next week including next weekend (26th to 28th May) may see higher pressure cover the whole country, but we will see, that is a while away and things can change. But at the moment that is when all of New Zealand may be settled for a time, although as we have mentioned before, settled doesn’t necessarily mean cloudless skies and no showers at all for everyone. Big high’s can still contain cloud and the odd shower about the place when they move in.