Rain, wind to batter Bay

Heavy rain is set to hit Hawke's Bay today and for the rest of this week as strong gusty southeasterlies lash the region.

MetService forecast Napier and Hastings will receive strong southeasterlies from today, which will develop into gusty easterlies tomorrow and Friday with southerlies gathering strength over the weekend.

The 10-day MetService forecast projects the strong winds will bring heavy rain to the two cities that will last until Sunday.

Temperatures are also set to drop. Today Napier will reach a high of just 10C, with an overnight of 4C, while Hastings will also reach a high of 10C but a low of 5C.

Highs for the remainder of the week will hover about 13C with overnight lows about 5C.

Further south, Dannevirke will receive much of the same conditions but the high today will be a chilly 7C, with highs for the remainder of the week barely reaching 10C.

WeatherWatch head weather analyst Phillip Duncan said a developing low caught up in the new cooler south west flow is set to bring rain across the entire western side of the North Island overnight tonight.

"The low is very weak but the rain could be heavy in places with even isolated thunder and hail as the colder air behind it sweeps in," he said.

"By Thursday afternoon the low will engulf a large portion of the North Island bringing rain or showers and plenty of cloud. And if you have wind coming in from the north, don't expect it to be warm like last week.

"Due to the shape of the incoming high over the South Island, and this low over the upper North Island, the air coming in over northern New Zealand is really being dragged out of the South Ocean."