An active system will this weekend spread across New Zealand prompting the MetService to issue over a dozen severe weather warnings.

A very deep low south of New Zealand will bring gale force winds to eastern areas of the South Island while heavy rain will spill over from west coast as far north as Taranaki.

These evere gale westerly winds are also likely to blow the approaching icebergs away from New Zealand out to the east.

The low is likely to send a front racing up the country which will fracture as it moves up the South Island meaning rain clouds will move in from both the west and east coasts across the weekend. 

However high air pressure over the upper North Island will see the rain clouds disintegrating as they head north late on Saturday/early Sunday.  From Taupo northwards only a few showers or drizzle patches are expected – certainly not enough to top up drying out rain tanks.  Tuesday may see a better chance with WeatherWatch.co.nz predicting a 60% chance of rain in Auckland.

Tomorrow Aucklanders can expect the wind and cloud to increase with the odd light drizzle patch moving in from the west later in the day.  While the daytime high won’t be especially high, around 20 degrees, the overnight low will be.  Auckland’s overnight low on Saturday night/Sunday morning is predicted to be around 18 degrees according to WeatherWatch.co.nz’s independent forecasts.  Humidity will also be high across Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

Gale force winds will continue to pound Southland today but should finally ease this weekend.  The region has had a month of gale or near gale winds, which some locals are finding hard to cope with.  But while the winds will ease the temperature will drop.  The high in Invercargill is just 11 degrees on Sunday.

In central New Zealand rain and strong northerlies will kick off the weekend in Wellington with a late southerly change.  The southerly isn’t going to be especially cold.

See all current weather warnings here.