Heavy downpours look to be on way

A BMX rider and a young scooter rider enjoy the late-afternoon sun at William Nelson Park, Hastings, yesterday. Photo / Duncan Brown

Hawke's Bay has enjoyed balmy weather this week but rain is expected to arrive this weekend.

WeatherWatch.co.nz forecaster Philip Duncan said this week's "lovely weather" was due to a high centred over the North Island, which was drifting away toward the Chatham Islands.

"You'll get a gentle northerly picking up over the next few days, with highs in the low 20s, and cloud thickening on Saturday."

A narrow, slow-moving front was likely to push on to Hawke's Bay on Saturday afternoon, bringing rain and a potential for heavy downpours.

Rain would gradually ease on Sunday, with cloud remaining and a high of just 15°C, while Monday would see a return to fine weather with a high of 22°C.

There was "a typical Spring week coming for Hawke's Bay" next week, with winds swinging between northerlies and southerlies.

Monday's warm northwesterlies would be replaced by southerlies on Tuesday, with a 60 per cent chance of rain.

Looking ahead to the infamously unpredictable Labour weekend, Mr Duncan expected a mostly fine holiday period.

"The Saturday will be unsettled for Hawke's Bay, but the Sunday and Monday will be fine.

"October is one of the most unsettled months of the year - if not the most changeable."