Bands of heavy rain are already moving in to parts of Northland reports WeatherWatch.co.nz, ahead of three very wet days.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says the sub-tropical low will have a far greater impact than Zelia did last week, but that it’s not as “glamorous”.

“There’s something about a tropical cyclone that captures our interest much more than a nameless sub-tropical low, but it’s important to know that this incoming rain storm poses a bigger threat to our most populated regions”.

Mr Duncan says Zelia was a small but serious “bullet” racing towards New Zealand, this low is much wider with more rain.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says that low lying areas in the upper and north eastern North Island may see some flooding and that holidaymakers and those in the warning area should be aware of rising rivers, flooding and potential slips.

Mr Duncan says New Zealand doesn’t normally have a “wet season” during summer but that this year’s La Nina is creating one. 

“As predicted by NIWA the La Nina rains have now finally arrived.  The long, dry, weeks of summer are certainly on hold for now with three very wet days in a row on their way and the long range models predicting another possible sub-tropical rainmaker at the end of next week”.

A tropical cyclone is also being predicted by the models and WeatherWatch.co.nz next week in the Coral Sea.

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– WeatherWatch.co.nz