Gusty winds picked up in parts of Hawke's Bay yesterday foreshadowing an unsettled couple of days in the region, but the situation is expected to calm down again at the weekend.
Metservice duty meteorologist Mariken van Laanen said the windy conditions were expected to continue through till this morning.
"From this afternoon we are expecting the wind to change to southwesterlies, getting stronger mostly about the coast."
Showers were also forecast for today, some heavy in the western ranges with the possibility of hail, she said.
"Some of this will spread further east as it moves through and heads out to the coast."
Any remaining showers were due to clear tomorrowmorning or afternoon, and then clear up for the start of the weekend.