Those travelling north from the city are, so far, faring better, with the city to Wellsford journey via SH1 taking an hour and 4 minutes, compared with 56 minutes off-peak.
Meanwhile, police will be on the lookout for drink-drivers and those using mobile devices as Kiwis begin the exodus out of the main cities and chase a late burst of mid-year sunshine for the King’s Birthday long weekend.
Holidaymakers in the North Island are in for a treat as temperatures in parts of the East Coast climb above 20C in a spell of above-average winter weather.
But Wellington and most of the South Island are facing weather warnings.
Napier is set to be the pick of the country, with a top temperature of 22C on Saturday followed by 20C on Sunday and Monday.
Gisborne will also hit a high of 21C on Saturday, while Tauranga will get to 20C on Sunday.
Christchurch will climb to 21C on Saturday before dropping to a maximum of only 12C on Sunday and an overnight low of 1C. A strong wind warning and watches are also in place for the Canterbury Plains and high country.
Elsewhere in the South Island a heavy rain watch and strong wind warning is in place for Fiordland and western Southland, while strong wind watches are in place for Queenstown, Dunedin and Invercargill.
Auckland is looking at temperatures peaking at 18C-19C over the long weekend, with a low of 9C overnight on Monday.
Wellington is set for a bleak weekend, with a strong wind watch in place tomorrow and temperatures ranging from highs of 15C-16C.
Seatbelt warning for King’s Birthday weekend
Meanwhile, Superintendent Steve Greally, the national director of road policing, has warned motorists across the country that police will be on the lookout for people who aren’t wearing seatbelts as well as those impaired by alcohol, drugs or fatigue and those distracted by cellphones or eating food.
“We don’t accept people dying on our roads and will continue to do our part to prevent that, so we’re asking drivers to do the same,” Greally said.
“Travellers should anticipate our officers to be patrolling roads at any time and anywhere to ensure that everyone can arrive at their destination safely.”
The NZTA is also warning motorists to expect heavy traffic out of the main cities during peak travel periods.
Motorists heading north from Auckland are likely to encounter the heaviest traffic between Pūhoi and Wellsford when they return on Sunday between noon and 6pm and on Monday between 10.30am and 6pm after their long weekend breaks away.
The heaviest traffic out of Wellington is expected on SH2 between 3pm and 6pm today, while Christchurch motorists could run into heavy traffic on SH1 to Ashburton heading both north and south today.
Those leaving Christchurch and heading south are facing heavy traffic today and tomorrow from at least 10am through to 5pm.
Traffic back into the city, heading north, will be heaviest on Monday from midday to 6pm.
