As we head into the weekend the weather settles down – though heavy rain and some strong winds stand between now and then.

Saturday looks a lot clearer than the preceding 3 days – so most of the country can expect a calmer outlook.

Thursday

Dark Blue: Heavy rain at times for the East Coast and southern North Island

Purple: Strong southeast winds for the lower half of the North Island and Cook Strait 

Rain for the lower North Island and East Coast eases in the afternoon, although southeasterly winds crank up after midday over the North Island, with brisk to strong winds developing.
Coastal areas feel the wind the strongest – especially around Cook Strait and Taranaki.

 

Friday

Purple: Strong southerly winds from Cook Strait up to the East Coast of the North Island

The southerly winds, which will affect areas from Cook Strait to Gisborne and Wairarapa, ease from afternoon.

 

Saturday

White: A frosty start for some in the inner South Island

Light blue: Showers for Taranaki and parts of the Central North Island

A ridge of high pressure starts to weaken during the day, but it’s still mainly settled for most of the country into the weekend.

– Please note, the idea behind this update is to focus on the main weather highlights, which is why not all regions are mentioned. 

For specific 10 day information for your city, town, rural community or island please see the 1000 forecasts on our homepage!

– Aaron Wilkinson & Drew Chappell, WeatherWatch.co.nz