Cyclone Gabrielle has a few parting shots left for New Zealand, with more windy, showery weather around the country this week – but there’s “light at the end of the tunnel” with some welcome weekend high pressure leading into a settled stretch of sunshine.
With the ex-tropical cyclone having shuffled off to the east, regions from Northland to Taranaki could expect calmer, sunny weather today, with much-needed fine spells over flood-hit Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay.
Further south, MetService is forecasting periods of rain over the lower North Island, along with strong gales and southerlies in exposed places, but easing later today.
Marlborough and Canterbury could expect periods of rain with heavy falls, with partly cloudy – and sometimes showery – weather in store Nelson, Buller, Otago and Southland.
“Some rain for Canterbury may be heavy, mainly Banks Peninsula northwards through to the Kaikoura area this morning then again in the same spots this evening,” WeatherWatch forecaster Philip Duncan said.
Tomorrow brings more rain to the southern half of the North Island – including possible southerly gales about Wellington and coastal Wairarapa – and isolated showers to the north.
Duncan said upper-level cooling that moves over the North Island tomorrow induced some instability, bringing the chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. then easing later in the day.
“Waikato and inland Bay of Plenty has the greatest chance, but Northland and Auckland could see storms also.”
More rain was also forecast about Marlborough, Kaikoura and Canterbury tomorrow - easing later – with isolated morning showers elsewhere in the east, but gradually clearing.
On Friday, southern and eastern regions of the North Island could see periods of rain, with a few showers possible for Coromandel Peninsula and Northland, and fine conditions elsewhere.
Apart from early rain for northern Canterbury to Marlborough, and early showers about coastal Southland, the South Island’s Friday also looked clear.
On Saturday, MetService was predicting a few showers about Northland, Coromandel Peninsula, Gisborne - and developing about Fiordland and inland Westland – but generally settled weather in other parts of the country.
“There is some light at the end of the tunnel – MetService is forecasting a ridge over the North Island bringing a spell of settled weather from this weekend onwards,” forecaster Andrew James said.
For the North Island’s storm-battered East Coast, a run of sunshine next week would be particularly welcome.
“The long-range forecast is brighter,” Niwa Weather reported.
“Higher than normal pressure is expected to reduce rainfall chances in the North Island starting on Friday - and it could stick around for a week or two.”