Firefighters battle strong winds as they monitor SkyCity fire

Firefighters battle the fire at the New Zealand International Convention Centre in Hobson St. Photo / Michael Craig

Firefighters monitoring the fire in downtown Auckland are being hampered by strong winds this morning.

But conditions are set to ease tomorrow with mostly dry weather for the North Island over the long weekend.

MetService meteorologist Tom Adams said the conditions weren't ideal for firefighters this morning as they fought to bring the blaze at the construction site of the New Zealand International Convention Centre at Sky City under control.

The fire is still smouldering this morning and firefighters are monitoring hotspots at the New Zealand International Convention Centre.

Adams said they would be facing strong winds, particularly this afternoon, easing off tomorrow - continuing until Sunday when the wind turns north-west. Some showers are expected this afternoon, but conditions are expected to improve tomorrow.

Most places in the country will get brief showers as another front crosses the country, but it won't be as severe as yesterday. The front will pass over Wellington around midday and will be up at Cape Rēinga by midnight.

Wind and rain along the lower west coast of the South Island should be easing up this morning.

MetService has issued gale warnings for some coastal areas with winds of up to 65km/h.

Parts of the country were lashed my monster waves of up to 9m yesterday, fanned by strong gust.

Gisborne is recording average waves of 1.8m to 2.5m near the shore this morning, and 4m waves further offshore.

For Labour Weekend, Adams said to expect "typical spring weather' for the long weekend. It won't be quite as good as last year when there was a big high that dominated the whole period, but should be better than previous years.

"What we've got this year is a ridge over the country on Saturday. There will be a north-westerly flow over the South Island, which heralds another front which will move onto the lower South Island on Sunday.

"That will race pretty quickly up the country and weaken as it does, so, not looking too bad for the North Island. Maybe a little bit of light rain in places like Kapiti and Mt Taranaki but the North Island will be generally dry on Saturday and Sunday."

Adams predicted some light rain around the central North Island on Monday.

In the South Island, the front meant some reasonable rain for the West Coast, particularly on Sunday. This would improve on Monday.

In the East, Saturday was looking like a good day. The cloud and some light rain would spread across to Sunday and Monday.

And the best place to be this weekend?

"Go as far north as possible. Or, because the winds are typically from the west, Hawke's Bay and Gisborne are looking pretty good too."