Weather prompts Napier council to reschedule Matariki festivities

The fine weather will give way to rain at the weekend. Photo / Russell Irvine

The crisp and clear nights in Hawke’s Bay are forecast to come to an end, prompting Napier City Council to postpone its Ahuriri Matariki event by a week.

Originally planned for Friday, June 27, so it did not clash with other Matariki celebrations in the region, Ahuriri Matariki – billed as an evening of performance, kai, storytelling and shared moments with whānau and friends - has now been pushed back to Friday, July 4.

MetService forecaster Gerard Bellam said a big front was approaching the country from the Tasman Sea that would affect the South Island on Wednesday but will eventually spread to the North Island.

Cloud will increase in Hawke’s Bay from Thursday.

The warm air arriving in the region before the cold front will push temperatures up, with a high of 18C and low of 15C expected.

Friday would then see rain developing in the afternoon with fresh northerly winds, but the high winter temperatures will persist with a maximum of 19C and a minimum of 11C.

“On Friday, our severe weather outlook does have some moderate chance of severe heavy rain across the Bay of Plenty and halfway up the Napier-Taupō Rd, but nothing in Hawke’s Bay itself,” Bellam said.

“I suppose for Matariki, you want to be able to see the stars, as the cloud cover blocks it out.”

Through to the weekend, temperatures will remain high on Saturday, with a maximum of 18C predicted, with just a few showers developing as the warmer northerlies turn to cooler southwesterlies.

“Then we have a run of fine days coming up from Sunday through to Tuesday,” Bellam said.

“So fine and sunny days after that.”

Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and spent the last 15 years working in radio and media in Auckland, London, Berlin, and Napier.