Lockdown weather: Wet weekend to continue for most of NZ, especially the north

A damp lockdown weekend is on the cards for most of New Zealand.

Forecasters say it'll be a fine weekend for boardgames and other indoor pursuits, with a large area of low pressure moving up the country.

It's bringing with it some rain bands, with the upper North Island likely to be the worst-hit today and early tomorrow.

Heavy rain warnings are out for Northland and a heavy rain watch for Auckland, Coromandel and parts of Bay of Plenty.

Northland can expect 60-90mm of rain on top of what has already fallen, with peak intensities of 20 to 30mm per hour, especially in possible thunderstorms this afternoon and evening.

Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous, MetService warns.

Heavy rain warnings and watches for parts of the upper North Island today. Full details here https://t.co/qHyE5zhh6X ^SG pic.twitter.com/0vuCqQzZXB

— MetService (@MetService) August 27, 2021

Thunderstorms are also possible in Auckland this afternoon and evening.

Other parts of the country won't stay dry either, MetService meteorologist Stephen Glassey says.

The low-pressure system bringing rain just now will hang around over the top part of the North Island into next week, Glassey says.

It'll remain unsettled across New Zealand for the next few days until late Monday/Tuesday when a ridge of high pressure will start to move in.

Some cold southerly winds might blast through early next week but there's "nothing too unusual about that", Glassey says. "It's still winter."

New Zealand's main centres today and tomorrow

Auckland today: 18C. Tomorrow: 17C

Tauranga today: 19C. Tomorrow: 18C

Wellington today: 13C. Tomorrow: 13C

Christchurch today: 11C. Tomorrow: 12C

Dunedin today: 9C. Tomorrow: 10C

- MetService