Severe weather watch: Heavy rain and northerly gales on the way

FILE

Heavy rain and northerly gales are expected throughout the region today. A heavy rain warning is in place for the Kaimanawa Range and eastern Bay of Plenty Ranges.

MetService said an active front preceded by a strong moist northerly flow is moving over the upper South Island and is forecast to move eastwards across the North Island today and tomorrow.

🌧Incoming!🌧 A band of rain is bearing down on #Northland and #Auckland, and it is a wet day today for much of the west and north of NZ. Check drains for leaves, for some it has been a while since the last good rain. There are currently a lot of warnings and watches out for strong winds and heavy rain, for more details see http://bit.ly/AllWarnings ^TA

Posted by MetService New Zealand on Saturday, 2 May 2020

A trough follows this front, bringing persistent showers to the South Island West Coast on Sunday.

A heavy rain warning is in force for Westland, Buller and Nelson, including the Richmond Range, and now includes Taranaki and Tongariro. A strong wind warning is in force for the Canterbury High Country.

In addition to the warnings, watches for northerly gales are in force for Marlborough, Wellington, southern Wairarapa and Taranaki, also Taihape and the Whanganui hill country. Heavy rain watches are in force for Northland, the hill country from Waitomo to Whanganui and the central high country, apart from the area covered by the warning. Watches for heavy rain are now in force for the Westland Ranges, the Tararua Range and Kapiti Coast.

People are advised to stay up to date with the latest forecasts in case part of the watches are upgraded to warnings or further areas are added.

The warning for Fiordland has now been lifted.