Not 'pleasant place to be' this week

wta210613abpatrol.jpg 21.06.13 St Patrick's School (Masterton) teacher Penny Thomson escorts a student across Chapel St during the winter storm working its way up the country. It was too windy for the

As wet and windy weather warnings are issued for the region, the Wairarapa isn't set to be a "pleasant place to be" in, for the rest of this week.

Yesterday may have looked as though it was signalling the end of the cold and the weekend's rain but don't be deceived because the outlook for the rest of the week is looking rather "bleak".

The MetService has issued a severe weather watch for the region as a deep sub-tropical low pressure system heads across the country from the north and is expected to bring heavy rainfall followed by "high wind gusts" with it.

MetService weather forecaster John Law said residents needed to batten down the hatches with winds as high as 100km/h expected in exposed places and heavy rainfall due to hit the Wairarapa and South Wairarapa today.

It will begin with "patches of drizzle" which would be varied in some places to "heavy downpours" followed by wind gusts, Mr Law said.

"It's not looking very nice. The Wairarapa is expecting some of wettest weather ... it's not going to be a pleasant place to be over the next few days," he said.

"There will be heavy rainfall with strong winds - some gail force and gusty in spots."

Late Thursday, the pressure system bringing the wild weather was expected to "pull away" from the east to the west, easing the pressure, he said.

Mr Law advises travellers to keep an eye on the weather and be advised by the New Zealand Transport Agency website about road conditions.

Yesterday, contractors were clearing away two slips on the Wellington side of the Rimutaka Hill.

Mr Law said the wet weather expected could cause more slips on roads.

"Something for travellers to bear in mind is slips along with taking extreme care in exposed places."

The recent wild weather was not unusual for this time of year, Mr Law said.

"Spring is a time for change ... just with this one coming from the north, it is bringing with it a lot of heat and moisture."

MetService meteorologist Daniel Corbett said staff would be keeping an eye on the situation as there was a "heightened risk of flooding" especially across eastern regions.