Wild weather takes a cold turn

Workers scrapping mud from the floor at Ullrich Aluminium in Cornish Street, Petone, after heavy rain and flooding, 15 May 2015. Photo / Mark Mitchell, New Zealand Herald

Wild weather which caused havoc across the North Island this week has made way for cooler temperatures and southerly winds.

MetService meteorologist Peter Little said the weather was clearing across the country as a ridge moved in from the west.

"Now we are left with a heavy band of showers moving up [the country], but because they are moving through reasonably quickly, there won't be any large accumulations anywhere."

This morning, the New Zealand Transport Agency said State Highway 27 was now open between Levin and Shannon, after closing last night due to heavy surface flooding.

The Transport Agency said flooding had also subsided on State Highway 57, between Aokautere and the Manawatu Gorge.

Mr Little said a severe weather watch, which was issued for Kapiti and Horowhenua yesterday, had been lifted, as the heavy rain had eased off.

"Looks like there was some rain up in the Tararua Ranges... but over the last 12 hours, there has been not particularly large falls."

He said heavy rain in Wellington had been replaced with a showery flow, and people were most likely to notice today's cooler temperatures.

"That's the thing people will really notice, it's about 10C and of course we do have that southerly still which is going to be fairly fresh at times.

"That's really going to make it feel colder."

There could be some showers about the eastern hills of Wellington, or in the Hutt Valley for a short time this afternoon, Mr Little said.

Earlier today, police said heavy rain in Whanganui and Taranaki had made driving conditions difficult for motorists, and urged drivers to take care.

Police said they received a number of reports overnight of small slips on country roads in these areas, as well as one report of a vehicle hitting wandering stock.

Mr Little said these areas had dried out now, and there was "very little" left in the way of showers. "The trough that brought that moved out to the east," he said.

This meant eastern parts of the country, and the Northland region, could expect some showers today.

Mr Little said things in Auckland were looking mainly fine, although there was the potential for the odd evening shower.

"It is fairly cool with... those southwest winds up there. They're southerly at the moment so it's only 13C, but for a time they'll see some southwesterlies, which as I say, will be a bit cooler this afternoon with those winds picking up.

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Today's forecast:

Whangarei: Showers easing morning. Strong southwesterlies. High 19C Low 11C

Auckland: Fine, chance evening shower. Strong southwest. High 17C Low 10C

Hamilton: Becoming fine. Fresh southwesterlies easing afternoon. High 16C Low 4C

Tauranga: Becoming fine. Southwesterlies fresh for a time. High 17C Low 8C

Wellington: Mostly cloudy, a few showers. Gale southerly gusts 100 km/h. High 13C Low 10C

Christchurch: Fine periods. A few morning showers. Fresh southerly. High 12C Low 6C

Tomorrow's forecast:

Whangarei: Fine spells. Southwesterlies. High 18C Low 12C

Auckland: Fine. Southwesterlies. High 17C Low 11C

Hamilton: Fine with light winds. High 17C Low 4C

Tauranga: Fine. Dying southwesterlies. High 18C Low 8C

Wellington: Morning showers. Southerly dying, northwest developing. High 13C Low 8C

Christchurch: Fine. Northeasterlies developing. High 13C Low 3C

(Source: MetService)

NZME. np