Rain continues to fall over Hawkes Bay today as the wet easterly flow continues – but the heaviest rain is now slowly easing and sliding northwards into Gisborne.

It means more pressure on waterways still recovering from Monday’s deluge.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says rain will continue today in Hawkes Bay with patchy conditions in Gisborne and Wairarapa.   “Isolated heavy falls can be expected with rain set in amongst the ranges especially but lighter falls lower down”

But Mr Duncan says the week-long rain event isn’t over yet.  “We see more rain and showers for eastern NZ, caught up in this easterly quarter wind flow, for the next few days”.  Eastern areas of both islands should get further top ups – good news for some farmers, bad for others who perhaps don’t need a drop more this week.

Current rain map (2:45pm) shows heaviest rain still in the Hawkes Bay region with showers spilling over into Gisborne, Wairarapa and even as far west as Waikato, where some isolated heavy falls with thunder have moved through in the past hour. Showers now clearing North Canterbury for now. Image / Weathermap via our maps page at WeatherWatch.co.nz

When will the rain ease in the East?

Rain is generally already easing today in many areas but will flare back up over the next few days.  It’s a bit off and on along the east coast with plenty of easterlies and northerlies in the forecast for the next week creating very isolated but heavy downpours, mostly around the North Island ranges and inland.

“By the end of next week we are in October and by then the westerlies should be returning – making for drier, sunnier and warmer weather in the east of New Zealand. A great recipe for grass growth following the rain” says Mr Duncan.

– WeatherWatch.co.nz