Bay of Plenty weather: Heavy rain on the way

MetService National weather: March 2nd - 4th.

Heavy rain, thunder and lightning are all possibilities for Bay of Plenty this week.

MetService has a heavy rain watch in place for Bay of Plenty east of Ōpōtiki.

In a statement, MetService said a front, preceded by a humid and unstable northwesterly flow, moves northeastwards over the South Island this afternoon then slowly eastwards over the North Island during Thursday.

A period of heavy rain is likely for northern and western regions ahead of the front,
with thunderstorms and localised downpours also possible in some places.

MetService meteorologist Ashlee Parkes described today and tomorrow as "busy weather days" across the Bay of Plenty.

"Once these fronts pass through, calmer conditions are expected through into the weekend," she said.

"Today we are expecting showers across the region, some heavy with possible thunderstorms, mainly from afternoon.

"Tomorrow, rain develops with this second approaching front in the morning, heavy with possible thunderstorms, which ease in the evening as winds turn from the northwest to southwest.

"From Friday until the end of the weekend we are expecting areas of morning cloud, then mainly fine afternoons apart from isolated showers."

Parkes said the daily maximum temperatures for Rotorua and Tauranga were expected to be about average for this time of year.

"Tauranga ranges from about 23C through to 25C, whereas Rotorua is a tad cooler in the 19C to 22C range."

Heavy Rain Watch

Area:

Bay of Plenty east of Ōpōtiki and the ranges of Gisborne.

Valid:

12 hours from 10am to 10pm Thursday.

Forecast:

A period of heavy rain, with thunderstorms and localised

downpours possible. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria.