Bay to dodge most of this week's 'wintry madness'

Rain is expected to arrive in the Bay on Wednesday. Photo/File

The Bay of Plenty is expected to dodge the worst of this week's predicted blast of winter weather, but will not escape entirely.

South Islanders have been told to prepare for two days of snow beginning tomorrow.

Lower and Central North Island residents have been warned to expect severe gales, heavy rain and snow, as well as possible flooding on the East Coast brought on by strong onshore winds.

MetService meteorologist Ciaran Doolin said a front was expected to come up the South Island tomorrow.The weather was likely to worsen when it arrived in the North Island on Wednesday and hit a low-pressure system about eastern Hawkes Bay, sharpening winds and enhancing rain.

"The worst of it should be confined to the east, from Gisborne down, but the Bay of Plenty can still expect some of it as well," Mr Doolin said.

"You're not quite in for the wintry madness that everybody else is expecting."

Mr Doolin said tomorrow was looking fine in Tauranga, with clouds and showers arriving on Wednesday, then rain on Thursday and Friday.

Wednesday night would be chilly, down to 3C, but not as cold as Rotorua, which was expected to hit zero.

The Bay might see some snow about the eastern ranges, but the chances of it reaching low-lying areas such as Tauranga were "zero", Mr Doolin said.

He could not be cajoled into suggesting the Bay of Plenty might be the best place for school holiday travellers to ride out bad weather, saying rain put us out of the running.

He reckoned the place to be would be Nelson or the West Coast of the South Island. Those spots would be protected from the worst of the weather and it would probably blow through quickly.