A strong high pressure system that today marks it’s seventh day over our skies continues to hold on – despite it supposed to be moving away today. 

The high, which is centred well east of New Zealand on the other side of the International Date Line, is now not predicted to change much over the next 24 hours.  This puts more pressure on forecasts which today had to adapt after rain clouds not only failed to arrive but fizzled out before reaching most places due to the much higher air pressure remaining in place.

“The showers and rain north of New Zealand were never going to bring a very wet day to northern New Zealand today but we did expect more cloud and more showers from Auckland northwards” says head weather analyst Philip Duncan.

Latest data shows rain hugging the north of New Zealand but the bulk of the rain remains out over the Tasman Sea – and with the high not budging much over the next 24 hours WeatherWatch.co.nz says the rain clouds will take longer to move in – but will be heavy and very slow moving for some when they do finally arrive.  “It’s patchy and fragmented – not everyone is in for rain but the slow movement of the heavy sub-tropical Tasman rain bands means we need to monitor it closely”.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says apart from the West Coast Tuesday should be dry or mostly dry for New Zealand.  A few showers are also possible around the Far North.

The heaviest band of rain is expected to cross New Zealand late Wednesday and into Thursday.  While quite narrow the rain band will trigger torrential rain and isolated thunderstorms and has already prompted the government forecaster to issue rain warnings.

– Homepage image / File, Joy Elley

– WeatherWatch.co.nz