The spring equinox is almost here so it’s not surprising that our weather pattern is increasingly becoming dominated by westerlies – but computer models for the next seven days indicate that a series of fronts and lows are going to bring more heavy rain into sodden western areas of both islands.

After a winter that was dominated by easterlies and flooding events in the east the first month of spring looks set to reverse that trend, switching it to the west.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says a low will push down over northern and central parts of New Zealand on Wednesday and Thursday bringing more rain from Northland to Manawatu and into Nelson and the upper West Coast.

On Saturday a larger low will move in from the Tasman Sea again bringing heavy rain to western New Zealand – possibly the entire west coast from Fiordland to Northland.

This heavy rain could add to rivers and streams already in or near flood especially about the Tararua Ranges, Whanganui catchment area and other western regions such as Waitomo, King Country, National Park and Taranaki, says WeatherWatch.co.nz.

More wet weather is expected next week in the form of fronts coming in from the west.