Gisborne weather: Rain set to clear for chilly, sunny weekend

Grey and gloomy conditions and people in rain gear are seen today in Bright St, Gisborne. Photo / Anne-Marie de Bruin

Gisborne’s wet weather is set to clear over the weekend, but things aren’t likely to completely dry out until Sunday.

MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said on Friday that Saturday would have “a bit of a wet feel”.

Some showers would be heavy along the coastal areas.

“As things stand, Sunday is looking dry with sunny skies, albeit chilly,” Makgabutlane said.

“Winds along the coast also look to have some bite to them, with fresh southwesterlies expected.”

She said wintery temperatures would begin to be noticeable over the weekend.

“During the day, things look to peak in the low to mid-teens in Gisborne City [12C tomorrow], while overnight lows drop to the mid-single digits. Definitely a good weekend to wrap up warm.”

Slips after the heavy rain in the Waioeka Gorge closed State Highway 2 between Gisborne and Ōpōtiki on Thursday for more than 10 hours.

The road reopened at 5pm on Thursday after contractors cleared two slips.

Temporary speed limits were in place on Thursday and police advised motorists to take extra care when travelling through the area.

Slips affected the Waioweka Gorge after heavy rain this week. Photo / NZTA Waka Kotahi

Workers use machinery to tackle a slip that occurred in the Waioweka Gorge. Photo / NZTA Waka Kotahi

The Gisborne District Council had updated road conditions on its website.

“Our local road network remains fragile. We have both ongoing maintenance and significant recovery work across the region,” the site said.