Long band of rain expected

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

More sub-tropical moisture is descending on the district, but MetService had no warnings for this region this morning.

The last thing Gisborne and the East Coast need is another rain event, with 21 roads and 19 bridges still closed after earlier downpours, and 12 roads still closed to heavy vehicles around the region.

Another “atmospheric river” developed near New Caledonia during the week, and is delivering rain to Northland, Auckland and Coromandel.

The low is expected to move to the west of the North Island, dragging a long band of rain on to the Bay of Plenty-East Cape area on Sunday and Monday.

There is moderate expectation of heavy rain in that area.

Northeasterly winds could be strong at times, and for the Portland marine area a northeast swell will develop by Monday and seas will become rough.

MetService advises people to keep up to date with the latest forecasts, in case these are upgraded to watches or warnings.

At this stage the forecasters are predicting a break from the rain mid-week, but expect another band of rain to arrive from the sub-tropics at the end of the week.