MetService morning weather update: May 4. Video / MetService
MetService has warned that wild rain, strong winds and humid temperatures are set to arrive in the coming days, shaking up the calm weather across the country.
The “significant autumnal shift” is approaching for the second half of the week, with MetService meteorologist Braydon White saying the wetter sideof the season was set to come back with a “bang”.
Fellow MetService meteorologist Paris Marshall told the Herald that a rain band was forecast to approach both islands on Wednesday, particularly impacting the South Island.
“Thursday is where it will hit both islands, and that’s where we’ll see some more widespread impacts,” she said.
Before this shift comes into effect, MetService said Tuesday was forecast to stay clear, as a large area of high pressure dominated the country.
Western and northern areas are expected to see some heavier bursts.
Marshall said that on Friday, northwesterly gale-force winds could lash western areas of the South Island.
She said for the North Island, MetService models predicted that exposed areas on the North Island west coast, such as Taranaki and Whanganui, may be impacted by severe gales or heavy rain.
“Mount Taranaki may get some quite heavy rain on Thursday, but it’s mainly a Friday thing for the North Island,” Marshall said.
MetService has warned that wild rain, strong winds and warmer temperatures are set to arrive later in the week. Photo / MetService
On Friday, more heavy rain is likely for the west of the South Island with strong winds through the south and centre of the country.
MetService said this was due to a second, deeper area of low pressure approaching the country.
“The back edge of this system brings a change to strong southwesterlies as we move into the weekend, with large swells possible for western coastlines,” MetService said.
White said the wetter weather was also expected to bring much warmer temperatures.
“Overnight temperatures will be as much as 15C warmer than we’ve had recently, with minimums in the mid-to-upper teens widespread across the North Island,” he said.
Marshall said it was going to be humid, especially at night.
For example, the minimum temperatures in Dannevirke and Masterton were expected to drop 2C and 1C overnight last night, but on Thursday and Friday, their minimum temperatures are looking to be 13C and 14C.
“Which is a very warm change from the frosty mornings they’ve been having,” she said.
Marshall said these warm temperatures were likely to continue into the start of Mother’s Day weekend.
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