Here’s what is making the weather headlines today

HEAVY RAIN SWEEPS IN WITH FRONT

As a front moves in from the northwest today it brings heavy rain, this morning about Auckland and the Waikato, getting into Bay Of Plenty and the Central North Island by midday then some heavy rain may reach Hawkes Bay and or Gisborne this evening. As the front moves eastwards it does weaken slightly. Keep up to date with the latest watches and warnings out from Metservice here.

🚨⚡️🌪️#8AM #Auckland. Severe Thunderstorms are now moving into the city. There is a chance of cloud to ground lightning strikes and heavier rain. Conditions look to ease around mid to late morning.

Live Radar: https://t.co/sZ6VGdTVQY
MetService Warnings: https://t.co/7xoHniWE4o pic.twitter.com/D1DXF9R9qA

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) March 20, 2022

THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO POTENTIAL HAS ARRIVED

Today through to Wednesday sees unstable conditions for the upper and western North Island, especially during the afternoons. Thunderstorms and heavy downpours are possible and yes there still looks to be a chance of a small tornado occurring on any of the above mentioned days. Keep up to date with the latest thunderstorm forecasts from Metservice here.

A WEEK OF UNSETTLED WEATHER, DOES IT THEN START TO CALM DOWN?

This week is looking fairly unsettled suffice to say, more so for the North Island but the South Island (mainly the upper half and in the east) does get some rain or showers at times. On Thursday the low responsible for causing unsettled conditions in the first half of this week moves out to the east, this lets in a southwesterly airflow. There is some debate in models whether conditions will calm down after the southwesterlies at the end of this week or whether we could have a cold front move through in the weekend. We could have a mix of both situations where the South Island is calmer with higher pressure and the North Island still gets showers, more to be revealed no doubt as we move forward.

For the latest rain maps click here or please check out ruralweather.co.nz and use the search function for your location.

Going by the “Precipitation Percentage of Normal” map which you can see below, the North Island on average is looking wetter than further south through till this Friday, especially in the north and northeast. Blue is wetter than normal, red is drier than normal for the time of year.