Anzac Day in Hawke’s Bay: Weather forecast for a cold dawn service

Anzac Day will start cold in Hawke's Bay but the weekend brings warmer air, with a high of 23C on Sunday. Photo / Paul Taylor

Those rising early for an Anzac Day service in Hawke’s Bay are recommended to lay out the thermals and extra layers the night before.

The forecast weather for the long weekend ahead offers some crisp mornings, followed by warm afternoons, and isolated showers.

A cold front that pushed through Hawke’s Bay on Wednesday brought with it a sprinkling of showers, but according to MetService, those are quickly making their way north, leaving the Bay with a drier air mass heading into the long weekend.

Thursday will bring isolated showers with southerly winds easing before dawn.

Temperatures are expected to drop for Anzac morning, with Hastings and Napier looking at a low of about 6C by dawn - the coldest morning for the next few days.

The day itself will bring a clearer sky, lighter winds, and a touch more brightness, with a chance of some cloud creeping over to the coast from inland.

By the weekend, warmer air starts to return, bringing temperatures into the low 20s, unseasonably mild for this time of year.

Saturday might get a bit wet with rain expected in the afternoon, while Sunday returns to partly cloudy skies and isolated showers.

Napier and Hastings will hit a high of 23C on Sunday.

Despite a mix of cloud and potential showers, MetService has no severe weather warnings in place.

Here’s how the weather is shaping up across Hawke’s Bay from Thursday to Sunday:

• Thursday (April 24): Partly cloudy, with isolated showers, mainly about the ranges. Southerlies, easing before dawn.
• Friday (April 25): Partly cloudy. Light winds.
• Saturday (April 26): Cloudy, with rain in the afternoon. Light winds.
• Sunday (April 27): Partly cloudy, with isolated showers. Light winds.