Strong winds are set to pounce over the North Island Tuesday and Wednesday as a low in the Tasman Sea quickly moves over the country.

MetService has issued a severe weather watch suggesting heavy rain across Taranaki and the Central Plateau is likely on Tuesday or Wednesday and with the rain will be strong nor’west winds.

Head weather analyst at WeatherWatch.co.nz, Philip Duncan, says the Tuesday and Wednesday will be windy days across much of New Zealand, especially the North Island.  “The track of the low means the North Island will be most exposed to the strong winds with gales quite likely on exposed hilltops”.

The nor’west winds will also help bring some of Queensland’s immense heat to New Zealand.  “Air from around north eastern Australia should brush the upper North Island.  Northland and the Gisborne region should both reach the mid 20s with Auckland other regions in between reaching the lower 20s”

Brisbane is this week forecast to reach nearly 40 degrees.

Howevere the warm air won’t be making it to the South Island with low teens or colder for Southland and only mid teens for Christchurch and Dunedin.

Mr Duncan says the unsettled weather is very typical for November but the weather systems should start to become sluggish heading into December as Summer arrives.